A Different Beginning
by GSR4ever87
Summary: Calleigh and her late best friend's six-year-old son is starting a new life in Miami when someone from her past threatens to take their new found happiness away. Will Horatio be able to save them? Will Ducaine find love? How will it end? Read and find out. A little A/U. A few Characters from the original CSI do appear.
1. New Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own the main Characters.

Summary: Calleigh and her late best friend's six-year-old son is starting a new life in Miami when someone from her past threatens to take their new found happiness away. Will Horatio be able to save them? Will Ducaine find love? How will it end? Read and find out. A little A/U. A few Characters from the original CSI do appear.

Hi everybody, I know it's been awhile but I'm back with a new Ducaine story.

AN: It starts three years after the real year that Horatio brought the team together, also pretend Jesse Cardoza (Instead of Tim Speedle) and Natalia Boa Vista were there from the beginning.

Title: A Different Beginning  
Genre: Romance, Drama, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Family  
Rating: T  
Time-line: Pre CSI: Miami, and around the first season in the Original CSI  
Spoilers: None  
Warnings: Mention of a minor character death, Implied suggestive adult behavior  
Main Parings: DuCaine  
Minor Parings: GSR (From original CSI)  
Other Characters: Characters from Original CSI, Natalia, Jesse, Alexx, Eric, a few OC's

* * *

A Different Beginning

Chapter 1: New Beginning

A 5'3, slim build, blond-haired, green-eyed, Calleigh Duquesne was sleeping soundly in her bed when she feels small hands shaking her shoulders. She blinks a few times before opening her eyes and sees a child's brown eyes staring at her with a smile.

Calleigh smiled at the little boy. "Good morning, C.J."

"Good morning, Aunt Calleigh."

"You hungry?" He nods, and she continued after ruffling his short blond hair. "Alright, go change for school and I'll make you breakfast in a minute." He nodded and gets off the bed, and as he was walking out of the bedroom she watches him while her mind drifts to how he became hers.

C.J. Robinson was five years old when his mother, her best friend since middle school, died in a vehicle accident. There was no one else to take care of him, so Calleigh took the responsibility of him, even though she was only 26 at the time. They had a rough start for the first few months, but after a while they started to get into the swing of things.

Now, even though it's been a year and a half since it happened, she could tell that he still gets a little sad every once in a while when he thinks of her, but those days have become farther and fewer in-between.

Calleigh mentally shakes her head from the past as she removes the covers off of her, then she gets out of bed, walks to her bedroom door, grabs her robe that was hanging on the back of it, and puts it over her shorts and tanktop before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast to start their day.

* * *

While C.J. was eating his breakfast and Calleigh was finishing up hers, her cell phone rings from the kitchen counter.

She gets up from the chair she was sitting in, taking her plate with her, then walks over to the counter, sets her plate down and grabs her phone, and as she walks to the sliding back door and looks out on the beach through the glass, she answers her phone in her southern accent, without checking who it is. "Duquesne."

"Hi Calleigh."

Calleigh smiled after hearing who it was. "Hi Sara, you're calling a little early, it's what, 4 your time?"

Sara Sidle was another good friend of Calleigh's. They had met when they were younger while bunking in the same cabin during summer camp one year, and they formed a close friendship. Which continued till this day, despite only seeing one another once or twice a year, or at least tries to, Sara had missed last year. But they are on constant speaking terms no matter what.

Sara was a CSI who worked in the San Francisco lab for a few years until the night shift supervisor from the Las Vegas lab asked her to come and help him out, then offered her a position to stay once she was done, she's been there a few months now.

Sara on the other line smiled and answered. "I had a break, so I just wanted to wish you good luck on your first day at your new location."

Calleigh was also a CSI, and her and C.J. had moved from New Orleans to Miami a few weeks ago, after finding out the day shift supervisor here personally requested her services. So wanting to start a new life she jumped at the chance, even though she knew they would miss family and friends in New Orleans.

Calleigh smiled again. "Well that was nice of you, thank you."

"You're welcome, so how is C.J. doing in his new environment?"

Sara had met Christy and C.J. a few times, and even though she didn't feel that friendship connection that she felt with Calleigh right away, she was devastated on what happened, so she told Calleigh that if she ever needed anything to let her know.

Calleigh turns away from the sliding door to look at C.J., and he had just gotten up from his chair and was taking his plate to the kitchen sink.

"He is doing ok. He started school last week and he already has a few friends, I think this move will be good for both of us, providing I get along with the team."

Sara smiled on her line again. "I'm sure you'll do fine. Its obvious that since you had a personal request from the boss there you've already made an impression on him, and you haven't even met him yet!"

Calleigh watched C.J. head to his room to grab his school things as she speaks again. "Yeah I guess it does help that I already have the boss in my corner." Then she smiled bigger and continued. "And speaking of boss's personal requests, how are dealing with your feelings for your boss?"

Sara had met the night shift supervisor a year earlier at a seminar and she had called Calleigh telling her all about him. At the end of that conversation Calleigh had told her that she was in love, Sara was adamant that it was just a crush, but Calleigh still thinks it was more than that for her friend because she didn't even hesitate to move when he asked her if she would consider staying in Vegas.

There was a pause before Sara tried saying. "Well...I..." Then she trails off.

Calleigh chuckled and replied. "I understand, so do you still think it's just a crush?"

Calleigh could hear voices in the background, so when Sara started saying. "Cal I..."

She cuts her off. "Saved by the work, I see."

She chuckled and replied. "You could say that, call me later and tell me what happens, I don't care about the time."

"Alright, be safe and I'll talk to you later."

"You too, bye."

"Bye."

Calleigh hangs up the phone, closes the blinds and walks to her room to finish getting ready for the day.

* * *

When Calleigh was ready to go, she made sure she had her keys and purse, then stood by the front door and shouted. "You ready, buddy?"

C.J. came running up to her with his coat and backpack on with smiled and a nod. "Yeah."

Calleigh smiled back at him. "Alright, let's go." She opened the door and he stepped outside, she looks back to make sure no lights were left on before she walks outside, and shuts and locks the door behind her.

When they stepped off the front porch they walked on the pathway to the right and continued to the drive way.

Once they were in the vehicle she puts the key in the ignition, starts it, and fixes the review mirror before pulling out of the driveway from her rented house.

5 minutes later she stops in front of the big school building, looks back at C.J. and smiles, he smiles back and said. "Thank you Aunt Calleigh, have a good day."

"You're welcome and you too. I'll see you later." He nodded as he opened the back door on the driver's side, then got out, shuts it behind him, and ran up to the entrance where his friends were waiting.

After Calleigh saw the small group go into the building, she took a breath and headed to the lab, wondering how she will fit in and how her first day will be.

* * *

AN: I know it's a little different, but I hoped you like it anyways. Want more? Please review.

Next Chapter: Calleigh meets Horatio and the team, how will it go?


	2. Meeting her new team

AN: Thanks for the reviews, favorite, and follows. Here is the next chapter, enjoy.

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Chapter 2: Meeting her new team

Once Calleigh parked in the lab parking lot 10 minutes later, she got out and walked to the lab entrance.

When she stepped into the building she walked straight ahead to the reception desk, which there was a female receptionist standing behind it, she was Caucasian, slim, a little taller than Calleigh and had short brown hair. She smiled at Calleigh and asked. "Is there anything I can help you with today?"

Calleigh smiled politely and spoke, her southern accent noticeable. "Yeah, I have to talk to Horatio Caine, this is my first day here, so I need to see him." The receptionist nodded, held up a finger to show one minute, and Calleigh nodded as the woman picked up the phone.

While she dialed a few numbers, Calleigh's attention turned to looking at the part of the lab she could see standing right there, it was kind of dark looking, not a lot of sunlight came through, the halls led to different parts of the lab, which the rooms she could see had glass walls, and there was an elevator at the end to the right.

Her thoughts get interrupted when the receptionist talked to her again. "Mr. Caine will be here shortly, him and his team was already at a scene, so go ahead and sit tight."

Calleigh nodded with a polite smile and said. "Thank you." before walking to the chairs that were close to the reception desk and sitting down in the first one, then she looks down at her hands and waited patiently for her new boss to show up.

About five minutes later, which she was still looking down, she heard the most soothing tone she has ever heard in her life. "Calleigh Duquesne?" Her heart started to speed up after she heard that voice, which she just chalked it down to a little nervousness on meeting her new boss for the first time.

As she was lifting her head up she mentally cataloged on what she saw in front of her, he was in nice shoes that went with his suit, he was lean, and when her eyes got to his facial area she had to mentally gasp because his sparkling blue eyes were staring at her with such tenderness already, but before she got lost in them she noticed he had short red hair. When she looked back into his eyes, she was still speechless.

After a few seconds she remembered he had asked her a question, so she nodded her head with a smile and replied. "Yes, I am Calleigh Duquesne." She was thankful she was still sitting down because he smiled at her next, which made her heart speed up just a bit faster, and she could have had a more embarrassing reaction if she was standing.

She mentally shook her head again as he spoke. "Why don't you come to my office ma'am, and we'll get you started on your first day here."

She smiled at his politeness and was in agreement, then after mentally taking a breath she stands up, took a second to make sure she could walk before following him to his office, which was close to the entrance and up a flight of stairs, making his office window face the lab parking lot.

When they were in his office he walks to his desk then around to his office chair, while Calleigh walks up to one of the chairs that was in front of his desk. Once they got to their respective seats they look at each other and he indicated with his hand for her to sit down, and he only sat down after she had sat down first, which made Calleigh want to blush, but she kept it at bay before it showed up.

After Horatio grabbed the file he had of her, he asked her some questions before having her sign a few papers.

As she set the pen down he says. "Welcome to the CSI team in Miami, I hope it works out for you."

She smiled and replied. "Thank you, me too."

As he grabs the files and pen he asked. "Is it true that you can dismantle and put a gun back together faster than any of your old team members in New Orleans?"

Calleigh didn't mean to sound like she was bragging about it, but she smiled with a nod, and replied. "Yes it is." She didn't say that they had made bets against her sometimes, which they would lose more often times than not.

Horatio smiles as pulls his gun out of his holster, sets it on the desk in front of her and asked. "If you don't mind, can I see it?"

She'll never tell him that all he had to do was look in her eyes and his wish was his command already, she mentally shook her head for the third time in the last 30 minutes, cleared her throat, grabbed the gun from the desk then did what she was told, concentrating only on her task.

When the gun was put back to the original state it was in before, she looks at him as she hands him the gun and noticed he was a little speechless.

He stayed that way for a few more seconds, then he smiled as he grabbed his gun and said. "That was amazing."

This time she did look down to hide her blush as she replied. "Thank you." He nods while his smile was still there, but she didn't see it.

After she looked at him again they have a little eye contact in silence, until he cleared his throat and started speaking again. "I think I'll have you start easy today and keep you in the lab. We can get your temporary badge now and we'll issue you a gun by the end of shift, ok?" She nodded and he continued. "Alright, I'll show you around so you can be acquainted in your new environment and when the team gets to the lab later I'll introduce you to them."

She nodded again before grabbing her purse from the floor that was next to the chair she was sitting in, then when he stood up, she mirrors that action, and they walked out of his office.

* * *

When it was time for the first break, and since she didn't have any work to do at the moment, she uses the elevator to go up to the main floor and walk to the break room. When she got there she walked over to the coffee pot that was on the counter.

As she was filling her coffee mug she heard two guys talking as they were walking in the break room, then she turns around just as one of the guys said. "I'll catch up with you later I have to take these bullets down to ballistics, I heard Horatio finally hired someone new."

Calleigh cleared her throat and spoke. "You're in luck you don't have to go very far."

The guys look her way and started to stare as a third member of the team came walking in the room, this time it was a Hispanic woman, she looked to be about a year younger than Calleigh, 5'7, slim with brown hair and brown eyes.

She smiled at Calleigh, walks up to her and said. "Hi, I'm Natalia Boa Vista."

Calleigh smiled at her as she shook her hand. "Hi, I'm Calleigh Duquesne."

They release hands as Natalia nods, then they look at the guys and they still hadn't said anything.

Natalia rolls her eyes, looks at Calleigh and continued. "And the two guys who are still staring are Jesse Cardoza and Eric Delko." Then she whispered. "You would think they haven't seen a beautiful woman before."

Calleigh hid the blush because of the nice compliment as the guys came out of their dazed state, then the guy on the right smiled, walked up to her, held out his free hand, because he was the one that was holding the three small bags with a bullet in each of them and said. "Jesse Cardoza."

Jesse was a Latino that stood about 6 feet and looked to be about a few years older than Calleigh, he had an athletic build with dark brown hair and brown eyes, and if he had been smiling at some other woman they might have swoon, but to Calleigh it did nothing to her. She could see how somebody could be attracted to him, she does have eyes, but there was no extra skip of the heartbeat, like she it had done with Horatio, or a shot of electricity when she took his hand to shake it.

She mentally shook those thought away as they were releasing hands, then replied. "Nice to meet you."

Jesse nodded and Eric walked up to him, held out his hand, and Calleigh said. "Then that makes you Eric Delko." They shook hands as he smiled at her with a nod.

Eric Delko was a Cuban that stood an inch shorter than Jesse, looked to be a few years younger than Calleigh, he also had an athletic build, but with short black hair and brown eyes, and again Calleigh could see the same thing she saw within Jesse, but it did nothing for her.

As Calleigh and Eric were releasing hands she said. "Nice to met you too."

Eric nodded just as a fifth person walked in the room, and when Calleigh's eyes went right towards that direction her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was Horatio

He smiled when he saw his team, then looked at Calleigh. "I see you have become acquainted with the rest of the team."

They all turned their attention to their boss as Calleigh answered. "Yes, I have." He nodded, and after a few seconds of silence, Calleigh cleared her throat, looked at Jesse and asked. "You wanted me to take a look at the bullets you collected?"

Jesse looks at Calleigh with another smile, handed them to her and replied. "Yes please."

Calleigh gives him a polite smile as she took the bullets with her free hand, and as she looked at her team, she said. "It was very nice to meet you all, I can't wait to work with you out in the field." They nodded with a smile, then she continued. "Well in the meantime I'll be in my lab, good luck with the rest of your case." Looking at Jesse she finished. "I'll give you the results once I have them." After a nod from him, she walked out of the room.

Once she was gone Natalia speaks. "See seems nice, I think she will fit in nicely." The younger guys nodded with another smile and Natalia chuckled before continuing. "You guys are just happy you get to look at a beautiful woman." They tried to deny that's not all they saw when they looked at her as three of them walked out of the room to continue working.

When it was just Horatio in the room he let out the breath he felt like he had been holding in since this morning.

From the moment he saw Calleigh he felt off balance and he believes his heart was still skipping beats every time he thought of her, and it wasn't all about her beauty to him, he felt there was something else about her.

Before his thoughts got to far, he mentally shakes them away.

He also felt that he had no shot with her because eventually one of those younger guys on the team or in the Miami area will catch her attention and she won't look twice at him.

He shook his head again and walked out of the break room to concentrate on work, or at least try to.

* * *

It was the end of shift and surprisingly they finished their case on time, which made Calleigh happy because she had to pick up C.J. from the afterschool program she had signed him up for just incase she had to stay later, knowing there will be times where that could happen.

When Calleigh walked back into the break room to wash out her coffee mug she sees Horatio talking to an African-American woman who looked about Horatio's age, she was an inch taller than her, slim, had brown hair that went just below the shoulder, and when she looked in Calleigh's direction she saw that this woman had brown eyes.

The woman smiled at her, held out her hand and said. "I'm the ME, Alexx Woods."

Calleigh smiled back, took the older woman's hand and replied. "Calleigh Duquesne, nice to meet you." They release hands as Alexx nods.

As Calleigh started walking towards the sink, the room filled up with the rest of the team and Horatio speaks. "Well done you guys, it was another successful day, and I'll see you next shift."

They nodded, then Eric looked over at Calleigh, who was still by the sink, and asked. "Would you like to go out and have a few drinks with us?"

Calleigh shook her head and replied. "Sorry, but how about a rain check."

She didn't know these people well enough to tell them about her situation, so she thought it would be easier to just ask for a rain check, which she does plan on cashing in, but only when she finds something better than an afterschool program for C.J.

They took her request without asking questions, then three of them looked at Horatio and Alexx, and Jesse asked. "How about you two?" They both declined too, Horatio also mentioning a rain check and Alexx wanting to go home and spend time with her family.

Once they nodded again, Natalia, Eric and Jesse walk out of the room after saying bye and nice to meet you again to Calleigh.

After a few seconds of silence Calleigh speaks. "I'm going to head out too." When she got into the doorway she looks back at Alexx and Horatio, which Alexx could tell were Calleigh's eyes were mostly looking at, or it was more like who, and she said. "Have a good evening Mr. Caine."

Horatio shook his head and replied. "Thanks for the formality, but please its Horatio or boss."

She nodded and replied with a smile. "Then have a good evening Horatio."

He nods with a smile. "You too."

Calleigh looks at Alexx and said. "And it was nice to meet you, have a good evening."

Alexx nodded. "You too." Calleigh nodded, and after one more look at Horatio she walked out of the room.

When it was just the two of them Horatio was still looking at the empty doorway, Alexx looks at her good friend and said. "Honey, do you have it bad."

Horatio mentally shakes his head, looks at her and asked. "What do you mean?"

Alexx smiled and replied. "Now, don't play dumb with me. How long have we been friends?" Horatio looks at her for a second before looking down, and if Alexx didn't know him better, it would almost seem like he was blushing. She smiled bigger and continued. "Wow, almost blushing. I got to say I don't think I've ever seen you blush over a woman before, this is a first."

He lifts his head, up, groans a little. "Alexxxx."

She chuckled. "Alright I'll stop picking on you." Then she puts her hand on his arm and continued. "But seriously, I can tell something is there, what are you going to do about it?"

Horatio sighed, looked at her, and as he walked to the break room door he answered. "I'll deal with it."

He gets to the doorway as Alexx speaks. "And in Horatio's words that means you'll say nothing and try and hide it." He looks back at her sadly before turning and walking out of the door.

Alexx sighed as she looked at the empty doorway, that man can be confident in a lot of things, including his job, but when it comes to the matters of the heart he was a little shy, which she guesses she understood that because he's had his heart-broken a few times. But she feels this was different and thinks Horatio wasn't the only one with the strong feelings inside them, and hopes in time they will figure it out.

Alexx shakes her head from those thoughts and leaves the room to go home to her family, it was ultimately up to them on how they wanted to proceed with their hearts.

* * *

After Calleigh picked up C.J. she drove home, and once they were inside, he went straight to his room and started on the bit of homework that he had to do, while she started making them a light snack.

When the homework was done and they finished the light snack he asked if he could play out on the beach, which after she allowed it, he went to his room to grab the toys he wanted to play with, while she grabbed a book and her phone, since she was going to be out there to keep an eye on him.

Once they were outside C.J. walks down the steps of the covered deck and walked the path until he got to the beach and started playing and building stuff close to the their fence.

Calleigh sits down in the chair on the deck and watched him for a few minutes, then looked at her watch and saw that it should be late enough that Sara would be up, or she hoped as she was dialing her number.

After a few rings Calleigh hears. "Sidle."

It did sound like she was a little groggy, so Calleigh apologized. "Sorry Sara, I hoped you would be up."

Sara yawned and replied. "It's ok I am just waking up actually, so how was your first day?"

Calleigh smiled and talked as she kept her eye on C.J. "It was amazing." Then she told Sara about her day in complete detail.

When she was done Sara replied. "It does sound like a good day for you, and it also sounds like you have a thing for your boss."

Calleigh gasped. "Sara!"

Sara chuckled. "What? I think you said his name about 10 times." It was quiet and Sara continued. "I knew it."

Calleigh does a deep sigh, which Sara understood that type of sigh, then she speaks. "Well It's not like I can do anything about it, he is my boss, my new boss at that, and I am not going to go up to him and make a fool of myself or make things uncomfortable, I really like it here."

"Even if you have to hide what your feeling?"

She sighed again. "Yeah. And I am not the only doing that am I?"

Sara cleared her throat and replied. "I guess not." Then she chuckled before continuing. "We sure know how to pick them this time around."

Calleigh chucked this time. "Yes, but I already believe he would be an upgrade." Then cringed as she thought of her last boyfriend.

"Me too. I'll tell you what, when you're ready to tell Horatio how you feel then I'll tell Grissom how I feel."

Calleigh smiled and replied. "You are on."

Both knowing that could be awhile.

It was a few seconds of silence before they continued to talk, then they hung up about 15 minutes later.

Later that evening after dinner was eaten, showers and/or baths were taken, their sleeping clothes on, bedtime story read, hugs and kisses goodnight were said and done, and tucked in their beds, Calleigh sighed as she closed her eyes, happy she was here, and she really couldn't wait to see what happens next. The future looked good, or at least she hoped it was.

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AN: Want to know what happens next? Please review.


	3. Evening plans take an unexpected turn

AN: Thank you for the support, here is the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 3: Evening plans take an unexpected turn

Two weeks later

It was the end of another shift and Calleigh was in the break room cleaning out her coffee mug when the rest of the team, minus Alexx, walked into the room.

Jesse looked at her and asked. "So Calleigh you up for winding down with us, today? I think we deserve it after the two weeks we've had. "

They had been slammed the last two weeks with barely anytime to themselves, even Calleigh had a tough time trying to juggle time with C.J., she was just thankful she found somebody in her neighborhood to watch him when she couldn't be there.

Calleigh dried her mug, looked at her team, shook her head and replied. "Not today guys."

She had promised C.J. that they would do something when she got off work since the lack of time they spent together the last two weeks, or at least she hoped it worked out that way, and was happy when she found out it could happen.

Natalia just nodded accepting that answer, but Eric and Jesse shake their heads, then Eric asked. "That's the third time you are bailing on us, Do you have a boyfriend or something?"

The day before they had gotten slammed with work they asked her a second time if she wanted to go out with them, and of course she declined because, not only to be with C.J., but to also find a place he would be comfortable with on long working days, which looking back at it now she was once again thankful she did.

Calleigh smiled, thinking about him and replied. "You could kind of say that." They looked at her confused on her choice of words, but Horatio looked away feeling sadness creep in, he thought it was only a matter of time before she found somebody, unless she already had somebody before she came here. His inner thoughts get interrupted when she speaks again. "Listen, I'll hang out with you guys soon, just not today, ok?"

They nodded, then Eric speaks again as he smiled. "I get it, you told him about the good-looking men you work with and now he is intimidated by us, so he won't let you hang out after shift."

Calleigh chuckles and replied jokingly. "Sure Eric, if that's how you view yourself, who am I to stop you." Jesse snickered, Natalia laughed, and Eric just shakes his head with a smile, even Horatio had a small smile.

When they calmed down, Calleigh continued. "I'll see you guys tomorrow." They nodded, then she looked at Horatio and said. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Horatio."

He looks at her, smiled and replied. "You too, Calleigh." Calleigh gives him a small smile before leaving the room.

When she was out of the room Eric looked around his team and said with a smile. "Oh she wants me."

Natalia shakes her head with a chuckle and replied. "Dream on Eric, there is a reason she keeps saying no to you."

Jesse chuckled this time, and Eric replies after a thoughtful look. "Why you do you think she keeps saying no anyways?"

They shrug their shoulders as Horatio speaks. "I think that whatever Calleigh has going on it should be up to her if she wants to tell you guys or not, she'll let you know when she is ready to come out and enjoy drinks with us."

They nodded in agreement, then Jesse speaks. "And speaking of which, you coming out with us today H?"

Horatio shook his head and replied. "Sorry, no can do. I have to figure out what to get my nephew for his birthday, enjoy yourselves and be safe."

They nodded and said bye as Horatio walked out of the break room, leaving them behind to talk about their plans.

* * *

Calleigh stopped her vehicle in front of the smallest house in her neighborhood, which was five houses down from her place. It was rented by a 19-year-old woman named Ashley Olsen who moved here from Jacksonville to go to Miami University. Even though she took a few classes online she still needed to be present for some of her others.

Ashley and Calleigh had met when Ashley was walking by her house for her daily exercise one morning and they had struck up a conversation, then when she saw C.J. she offered to watch him when Calleigh needed it. Calleigh was of course hesitant but when Ashley told her that she had been watching kids around her hometown since she was 12 and gave her some of the parent's phone numbers so she could verify it and for references, Calleigh and C.J. felt comfortable about it, so she took her up on that offer, and once again very thankful for her own actions.

Calleigh mentally shook her head as she got out of the vehicle, and just as she was walking up to the fence, the front door opened and Calleigh smiled at C.J. and Ashley, when she looked at C.J. again she asked. "You ready buddy?" C.J. nodded, and with his back pack on, came running to her.

They hugged when he was on the other side of the fence.

While he gets in the back seat of the vehicle, Ashley walks up to the fence and Calleigh speaks. "Thank you Ashley."

Ashley had short blond hair, blue eyes, was a few inches taller than Calleigh and a medium build with a nice smile.

Ashley nodded with a smile and replied. "You're welcome, he is a sweet child."

Calleigh smiled as she pulls money out of her pocket, then hands it too her as she replied. "He really is, enjoy the rest of your day and see you tomorrow."

Ashley took the money as she responded. "You too and no problem." Calleigh nodded, then turned, walked back to the vehicle, and got in the driver's seat.

After shutting the door, Calleigh speaks while starting it. "So what do you want to do today?"

C.J. thinks about it for a few minutes before asking. "Can we go to the arcade?"

Calleigh smiled and replied. "Alright, then how about a movie and dinner?" C.J. nodded with a smile, Calleigh smiled back and continued. "Ok, let's get home so we can change then we'll do that."

"Cool."

Calleigh chuckled as she took them home.

After they were ready they left the house and she drove them to the mall to enjoy their time together.

* * *

When they get into the Mall they walked to the food court to get a small snack and something to drink because she knew that once he started playing he wouldn't want to stop until she said it was time to go and she wanted to keep him hydrated.

After they ate, they tossed their trash away, and as they were turning to walk in the direction of the arcade they accidentally ran into someone, and the person they ran into speaks first. "Sorry Ma'am."

Calleigh noticed the voice before anything else and replied. "Horatio."

After realizing it was Calleigh who he ran into he apologized before his attention turned to the little boy who was standing next to her.

Calleigh waves off the apology. "It's the mall, it can get crowded and people run to other people all the time. It's ok." He finally looks away from the boy to look at Calleigh and gave her an appreciated smile, before he could talk, she spoke again. "Which, and I mean no offence, but I didn't think you would be a mall person."

Horatio smiled again, shook his head and replied. "Normally I am not, but it served a purpose today." He holds up a bag to show it was from a sports store he went to, to get his newphew a baseball cap from his favorite baseball team.

Calleigh nodded in understanding, then before any of the grown-ups talked again, C.J. finally speaks. "Can I please go play now?"

Calleigh chuckled and replied. "Alright, hold on little man." She looks at Horatio again. "Horatio I would like you to meet C.J., and C.J. this is Horatio, my boss." Once they finished getting acquainted, Calleigh continued. "Well we better go."

Horatio nodded, but before he could say something C.J. speaks again. "You want to come?"

Before Calleigh could speak, Horatio responds. "I would love too." Then he looked at Calleigh and asked. "If you don't mind?"

Calleigh gives him her best smile and replied. "Not at all." Horatio smiled as they looked at each other for a few seconds, which C.J. was oblivious to the connection they were sharing.

Calleigh cleared his throat. "Ready?"

Man and boy nodded before they started walking to the arcade, and to the outside world they almost looked like a family, which they both mentally shook their heads as that thought came to their minds.

Once they made it to the arcade, Calleigh gave C.J. some money and let him go play while her and Horatio stayed far away from the loud part of the place as they could, but still had a good view on where C.J. would be.

When they were alone it was a few moments of silence between them, then she looked at him and asked. "I bet you're wondering about C.J."

He wasn't one for being nosy, outside of his job that is, but he had to admit that the wheels were turning in his head the moment they literally ran into each other, so he nodded and replied. "A little, but you don't have to tell me, it's your business."

Calleigh's lips turned up a little and replied. "Yeah, but no matter how much you like Mysteries, eventually you'll want to know how it ends."

It was Horatio's turn for his lips to turn up, and Calleigh could see the sparkle in them as he looked at her again. "I have to admit that it's true. But at least some of the mystery is solved." She raised an eyebrow as he continued. "Why you keep saying no to the guys about going to bar with them after shift."

She chuckled a little. "They don't hear the word no very often do they?"

Still looking at her, he speaks sincerely. "Nope, especially from a beautiful woman."

For a few seconds it was just them in the arcade, no sound from the machines, kids yelling or even the cash register bothered them. They just stood there looking at each other, then she cleared her throat as she looked away from him to see where C.J. was.

After she spotted him, she looked at Horatio again and he was looking down, she smiled a little and said. "Go ahead and ask your questions."

He lifts his head up to look at her and asked. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He cleared his throat and asked. "Is C.J. yours?"

He noticed the boy didn't really resemble Calleigh, but there could have been a good explanation for that, he could have looked more like his father.

Horatio immediately shook that image away before listening to Calleigh's answer.

Calleigh looked at C.J. again for a minute and smiled when she heard him laugh, then she looked back at Horatio and replied. "Biologically speaking, no.  
But every other way yes." She could see the question in his eyes, so she continued after clearing her throat. "He is my late best friend's son." The minute Calliegh said the word 'late' he saw her emotion's change, and he was about to tell her that she didn't have to continue, but after clearing her throat for a third time she tried. "She uh...She." Calleigh stopped while shaking her head with tears in her eyes. "Sorry, even after a year and half it still affects me." Horatio nodded, then went on instinct.

He stepped closer to her, reaches out and puts his hand on her cheek, and the moment his hand touched her skin they felt a spark, they looked into each other eyes again for a second, then he cleared his throat and replied with his natural soothing tone. "Of course it would affect you losing a best friend. It's ok, you don't have to tell me anymore right now." Calleigh saw the compassion in his eyes as their eyes stayed connected.

Their moment was interrupted when C.J. ran up to them and asked. "Aunt Calleigh, you ok?"

Horatio took his hand off her cheek as Calleigh swiped her hand across her cheeks to get the remaining tears off, then bends down so she was eye level with him and said with a smile. "I'm fine little man, are you about ready?"

C.J. nodded and replied. "Yeah, but I want to try one more thing." Calleigh nodded as C.J. continued. "But I need help."

Calleigh was about to answer when Horatio bends down so he was eye level to him now and asked. "What do you need help with?" C.J. pointed behind him to the basketball hoop game.

Calleigh and Horatio look at each other, and she said with a smirk. "Don't look at me, I was into guns, not sports."

Horatio smiled, cleared his throat, looked at the boy again and said. "Alright I'll try for you, but I can't promise anything." C.J. nodded with a smile as the grown-ups stood back up, then they started walking to the game.

When they got there he asked Calleigh if she would hold the plastic bag that had his nephew's hat in it, and after she took it from him he puts money in the machine and started throwing the basketballs in the hoop the moment they started to rolling down to him.

After the third try they called it a game, but he didn't win anything.

Horatio sighed, looked at down at C.J., and said. "Sorry bud, I tried."

And instead of sulking about it like kids his age tend to do, C.J. gives him a little smile and replied. "It's ok, thanks for trying."

They could tell that he was a little disappointed, but they admired the brave front he was putting on.

Horatio gives him a smile. "No problem."

C.J. nodded, Calleigh bends down so she was eye level with him again and asked. "You ready for the movie now?"

That brought a little sparkle back into his eyes as he asked. "Extra Butter on the popcorn?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

Calleigh smiled, ruffled his hair as stands up with a smile, then looked at Horatio and he smiling back.

C.J. started walking and the grown-ups followed him, then as they stepped back into the mall she gave Horatio his plastic bag back.

When they stopped in the middle of the mall, C.J. looked at Horatio and asked. "Are you going to come to the movies too?"

Calleigh smiled and was about to talk, but Horatio answers his question. "I would love to, if it's alright with your Aunt Calleigh."

She looked at him with a little surprise in her eyes, then she looked at C.J. and he asked. "Please?"

Calleigh smiled again, looked back at Horatio and said. "If you don't have anything we are taking you away from, then yeah it's ok."

Horatio smiled back at her with a sparkle in his blue eyes, then he speaks again. "Let me take this present to my vehicle and I'll meet you there."

Calleigh answered. "Ok."

He nodded, and after another short look they turned in different directions.

Calleigh and C.J. were going one way and Horatio was going in the opposite way, but they both had smiles on their faces the whole time they were going to their destinations.

* * *

AN: Hope you enjoyed it, enjoy your weekend. Please Review.


	4. Falling faster

AN: It's make me happy you are all enjoying this story. Thanks for the continuing support, here is the next chapter, enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 4: Falling faster

After they enjoyed a family friendly movie and a small-size popcorn, so they don't spoil their dinner, they headed for the food court and got a Pizza to share. They hadn't really discuss having dinner together beforehand it just sort of happened, but they all enjoyed it.

When they got done eating, cleaned off their table and threw away the trash, they walked out of the mall and Horatio walked Calleigh and C.J. to her vehicle.

Once they got there. Calleigh unlocked the doors, then she looked down at C.J. and asked. "So what do you say to Horatio, C.J.?"

He smiled and looked up at Horatio. "Thank you for the movie, snacks and dinner, I had a really good time."

Horatio bends down so he was eye level with the boy, and replied with a smile. "You're welcome, I had a good time too." C.J. smiled bigger and surprised the older man when he wraps his arms around his neck for a hug.

After he pulls back, he turns to the back door, opens it, gets in, then shuts it as Horatio stands back up.

When he was standing again, Calleigh and Horatio look at each other in silence for a few seconds, then she cleared her throat and said. "Thank you Horatio, you didn't have to buy anything for us."

Horatio nodded. "I know, but I wanted too, it was the least I could do for him since I didn't win that basketball for him."

Calleigh smiled and replied. "Well I think you made it up to him, he was smiling throughout the movie and dinner, so once again, Thank you."

"You're welcome Calleigh."

They look into each other's eyes again for a few more seconds before she looked away and started speaking again. "I better go, C.J. has to get ready for bed."

"Alright, goodnight."

"Goodnight, see you tomorrow."

Horatio does a short nod, then he tapped the window on the back door and waved at C.J., which he waved back with a smile.

After one more smile between Horatio and Calleigh, Horatio walked away, but he looked back to make sure she got in her vehicle and watched the vehicle drive away until he couldn't see it anymore before walking to his vehicle with a smile still on his face. He hadn't planned to spend the evening like he did, but it was better than he could have imagined and he didn't regret a single second of it.

* * *

When Calleigh and C.J. got home she started his bath, while he went and got his PJ's.

After it was the right temperature and depth she walked out of the bathroom to give him some privacy but cracked the door just incase, then she went and got her sleeping clothes ready so she could take a shower once he was sleeping.

20 minutes later C.J. was in his bed and Calleigh had just walked into his superhero themed room, grabbed a book from his bookshelf before walking over to his bed, then she sat down and scooted backward so her back was against the headboard of the bed.

After making sure C.J. was tucked in good enough, she opened the book and was about to read, when C.J. speaks. "Aunt Calleigh?"

Calleigh looks over to the little boy and asked. "Yeah?"

C.J. moved his head up to look at her and continued. "I really had fun tonight and I like Horatio, can he do that again with us?"

Calleigh was really happy that C.J. liked Horatio, and as much as she wanted to shout yes at the top of her lungs, she knew she had to be careful with letting C.J. get too attached to him, because they weren't even dating and he could cut ties with them just like that, which would leave them both heart-broken.

She mentally shakes her head from that sad thought, then answered his question the best she could at this moment. "We'll see ok?" C.J. nodded with a small smile. Calleigh could see a little disappointment in his eyes, but noticed he wasn't expecting her to expand her answer.

After making sure he was comfortable again, she looked down at the book and started reading to him until he fell asleep.

* * *

She closed the book, watched him for a few minutes, before getting up and bending down to kiss his head and whisper. "I love you."

When she pulls back she walks over to the bookshelf and puts the book back, then she walks to the door, but stops in the doorway to look at him for a few more seconds before turning off the light, which made his spider man nightlight came on, then walked out of the door, cracking it behind her.

Once she walked into her room, she took a shower and got ready for bed, but before she snuggled down in her blankets and closed her eyes for sleep, she picked up her phone from her nightstand, hits speed dial number one, puts the phone up to her ear, and waited.

A few rings later she hears the greeting. "Sidle."

Calleigh smiled and said. "Hey Sara."

Sara smiled on her end and said. "Hey Cal, did you have a nice evening with C.J?"

Calleigh smiled bigger, not only because of her evening with C.J. but also for thinking about Horatio being there too, then said. "I did very much."

Sara chuckled and said. "The tone of your voice tells me he paid for dinner."

"He did, and the movie."

Sara raised an eyebrow in confusion and asked. "Ok it feels like I am missing something here, what happened?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Because I have this strong feeling you're not telling me everything that happened tonight."

Calleigh chuckled and replied. "Alright you got me." Sara snickered as Calleigh continued. "Horatio was the one that paid for dinner and the movie." Calleigh could hear Sara chocking on something, so she said. "Sara, are you ok?"

Sara wiped her mouth off with a napkin she had next to her dinner plate, and after she got done coughing she speaks. "Yeah sorry my drink went down the wrong pipe, hold on a second." After she coughed a few more times, she cleared her throat and said. "Now did I hear that right, Horatio was there?"

"Yes."

"So you asked him out?"

Calleigh shook her head, even though Sara couldn't see it, then replied. "Actually he was already at the mall getting a present for his nephew and we kind of literally ran into each other, then C.J. asked him if he wanted to join us, so one thing led to another and he ended up paying for the movie and dinner."

Sara smiled and replied. "Well congratulations on your first date with Horatio."

Calleigh shook her head and argued. "It wasn't a date, it was two co-workers running into each other then going to a movie and having dinner."

"Hmm, and who paid for the movie and dinner?"

"Horatio..." She stopped when she heard Sara laughing, then Calleigh smiled and continued with a smirk. "Ok, then if you want to call that a date, then I believe the deal was that you have to tell Grissom how you feel or at least ask him on a date." That stopped Sara's laughing and Calleigh snickered.

Sara cleared her throat and said. "Alright it wasn't a date." Calleigh knew that Sara wasn't ready to strike up the nerve to ask him out yet.

After Calleigh calmed down from her chuckling, Sara continued. "Well date or no date I am glad you had a good night, and did C.J. like him?"

Calleigh sighed in content and replied. "Yes so much, he wants him to join in the next time we go out, I think he is already attached to him."

"Sounds like somebody I know."

Calleigh smiled at that. "I just want to be careful were C.J. is concerned, I don't want to get his heart-broken."

"I know, and along with yours."

"Right. I can see a glimpse of Horatio being a very good, kind man, but the truth is I've only known him for two weeks. I need to be sure before we get any deeper, that is if we do."

"I hear you Cal, and I am sure you will figure it out."

"Thanks for listening Sara." She had to stop because she started to yawn, then after the yawn ended she said. "Excuse me."

"It's ok, I should let you go anyway. It's about 11 your time, you should get some sleep so you'll be rested for tomorrow."

Calleigh was going to say something, but she yawned again. "Yeah you're right we'll talk another day, bye Sara."

"Bye Cal."

After they hung up, Calleigh sets the phone on the nightstand before snuggling under her covers, then she laid her head on the pillow and a few minutes later she was out like a light with a smile on her face.

* * *

When it became morning Calleigh and C.J. got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, and after he packed a few things to take with him, Calleigh dropped him off at Ashley's house since he didn't have school today because of a teachers workday, then she headed into work and an hour later she was out in the field with  
her team.

It was going on the second hour they've been out in the field, when Calleigh's cellphone rings.

She excused herself from the group, walked away so she wouldn't be in the way, and answered her phone in her usual greeting. "Duquesne."

She could hear sniffling as the caller speaks. "Calleigh."

Calleigh's heart started to speed up when she asked. "Ashley? What's wrong, is it C.J?"

"No, sorry, nothing is wrong with C.J. I just got a call from my brother, my dad is in the hospital and I need to go up to Jacksonville."

"Of course, I'll meet you at the lab."

Ashley sniffled again and said. "Thank you, I'm sorry I have to do this to you today."

"You can't predict emergency's, it's ok Ashley."

After they said bye they hung up the phone, then she let out a big sigh of relief as she ran her hand down her face.

She felt bad for Ashley, but she was thankful nothing was wrong with C.J.

Horatio had witness Calleigh's actions, so he walked up to her and asked in a concerned voice. "Everything ok Calleigh?"

She looks at Horatio and replied. "Ashley, she watches C.J. when I can't, well she has an emergency and needs to go up to Jacksonville." She stops, bit her lip and continued. "And I nee..."

Horatio cuts her off. "Lets go."

Calleigh shakes her head and replied. "You can't leave here, you're the boss."

Horatio waves it off, turns around and shouted. "Jesse!"

Jesse looks at Horatio and asked. "Yeah, H?"

"You're boss for an hour."

He smiled and replied. "You got it." Then goes back work.

Horatio looked back at Calleigh and said. "Now that's covered, why don't you gather your things and we'll leave." Calleigh nodded with a smile and went to do her task.

Once she grabbed everything and put them in the back of the CSI issued hummer, she gets in the passenger seat, then after she shuts the door Horatio starts the vehicle and they head back to the lab.

It was few minutes of silence, then she looks over at him, which she couldn't see his eyes because he was wearing his sunglasses that she noticed he wore a lot, and said. "Thank you."

He smiled and replied, while still looking where he was driving. "You're welcome, you can't predict what's going to happen, so I understand."

Calleigh looked down at her hands with another smile, because that's basically what she told Ashley.

The rest of the drive was done in comfortable silence.

* * *

Horatio pulls into the lab parking lot 15 minutes later and stops in front of the entrance of the building.

Calleigh gets out and walks to Ashley and C.J., which they were standing right on the sidewalk in front of the building.

Ashley said a few more apologizes, and Calleigh just reassured her that it was alright, then after a quick meeting to Horatio, Ashley walked away with hurried steps.

They watched Ashley walk away, then Calleigh looks down and C.J. was looking down at the ground, she puts his hand on his shoulder and said. "It's not your fault C.J. things happen."

He speaks in a sad voice. "I just don't want to be a burden."

Calleigh bends down, lifts his chin up, looks into his brown eyes and speaks as she cups his cheek. "You'll never be a burden to me, I love you so much, Ok?"

He nodded with tears in his eyes and said. "I love you too, Aunt Calleigh." Calleigh smiled, then wrapped her arms around him to give him a hug.

When they pulled back she said. "Now you can stay here with me today, I collected enough evidence so I can stay in the lab."

She looked at Horatio and he nodded his head, but noticed C.J. was still a little sad, so he steps closer to the little boy and said. "Hey C.J., why don't you come with me to my office for a second while your Aunt grab's her things." C.J. looks at Calleigh and she nodded in acceptance, then he looks back at Horatio and nodded to him.

As Calleigh stands up she watches Horatio and C.J. walk into the lab before she turned and walked back to the hummer to grab the evidence she collected and her kit, then she walked to the entrance of the lab.

She had just walked in when the six year old boy came running up to her with his backpack bouncing up and down, a basketball in his hand, and a smile as he speaks with enthusiasm. "Look what Horatio got me Aunt Calleigh!" She was shocked for a few seconds, then looked at Horatio as he walked up to them with a smile.

She shakes her head. "You didn't have to do that."

He shrugs and replied. "I felt bad that I couldn't win him one, so..."

She cuts him off. "So you thought you would buy him one instead."

He nods with a small smile. "The manager at the arcade was nice about it after I gave him a huge tip."

She puts her hand up to her lips and replied. "You didn't?"

"I did."

"That was very sweet of you."

He looks into her eyes, then looks over at C.J. and said. "He is worth it."

That melted Calleigh's heart as she heard those words, then looks at C.J. and said. "Did you say thank you?"

C.J. nodded with another smile. "Yes and he said we maybe can go play later, can we?"

"I'll think about it, ok?" C.J. nodded as Horatio and Calleigh start looking at each other, but their moment was interrupted a few seconds later because C.J. started bouncing the ball in the lab.

She mentally shakes her head, looks back at the little boy and said. "C.J. don't bounce the ball in here, please."

He stops the bouncing, looked at her sheepishly and said. "Sorry."

Calleigh nodded as Horatio cleared his throat and said. "I better get back to the crime scene, I'll see you guys later."

They said bye, and after one more look between Calleigh and Horatio, he walked out of the lab, while putting his sunglass back on.

Calleigh watched him, still feeling overwhelmed about what he said about C.J., what he did for him, and how he was looking at her. With him showing her more of that kindness she had a preview of last night, she was falling for him faster than anybody she had ever met, and she knew C.J. was already putty in his hands.

Calleigh mentally shook her head, cleared her throat, looked at C.J. and said. "Alright, let's go to my office and get you settled, so I can start going over these bullets."

He nodded and the two of them walked to the elevator go down to her ballistics lab.

* * *

AN: Please review.


	5. Her secret is finally out

AN: Thank you all for the reviews it really makes my day, here is the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 5: Her secret is finally out

Calleigh, C.J. and Horatio were hanging out in the break room at the end of shift when they heard Eric's voice coming through the doorway, he was talking to Jesse. "There is just no way that the rumor of Calleigh having a kid is true." Jesse stopped when he looked in the room and saw C.J.. Eric looks at Jesse and asked. "What?" Jesse nods his head forward, indicating that he should look ahead, when Eric did, his eyes gets a little wide and said. "It is true."

Calleigh looks at Horatio and he nods before putting his hand on C.J.'s shoulder and saying. "Lets go get your things ready, ok?"

C.J. nodded and they both walked out of the room as Eric and Jesse watched them.

Once they were out of the room Eric and Jesse looked at Calleigh again, and Jess asked. "So it's true?"

Before she could answer, Natalia walked in the room and asked. "Is what true?"

The guys looked at her and Eric answered. "We were just seeing if the kid that was with Calleigh all day was hers."

Natalia smiled as she looked at Calleigh. "Yes he is and I must say that he is a cutie." She didn't know the whole story but enough was mentioned to her.

Jesse asked, shocked. "You knew?"

Natalia looked at the guys and replied. "Yeah I met him earlier when I was dropping off the rest of the evidence." The guys looked at Calleigh again, wanting confirmation.

She smiled a them and said. "Not biologically, but in every other way that matters." She felt that was enough to tell them and she hoped they understood.

Which they did because they just nodded and Jesse said. "Alright, cool." Everybody in that room was now smiling, and as the guys were walking to the table Jesse continued. "Now I kind of understand why you kept declining our offer on going out to get drinks with us."

Calleigh was about to answer when Natalia speaks in a sarcastic tone as she rolled her eyes. "Yeah because there wouldn't be another reason to reject you guys, is there?" Calleigh laughed as Eric and Jesse just smiled.

As they were calming down, Horatio and C.J. walked back into the room, then Jesse looks at the little boy and asked."So we know who you belong to, but we don't know your name little man."

C.J. looked at Calleigh, and she nodded her head as she said. "He's ok to talk to."

C.J. looked at Jesse again and replied. "I'm C.J. Robinson."

Jesse nodded with a smile. "Hi C.J., I'm Jesse Cardoza and this is Eric Delko." Jesse points Eric, which he smiles with a wave at the little boy.

C.J. smiled back and waved at him, then replied. "Nice to meet you Jesse and Eric." They smiled again with another nod.

Then Eric asked him something when he saw the basketball in C.J's hands. "You play basketball?"

He shrugged and replied. "I try."

They chuckled, and Jesse asked. "Want to go play at the park?"

C.J. looked at Calleigh again, and a few seconds later she nodded with a smile.

He smiled back, looked up at Horatio and asked. "You coming too, right?" Horatio nodded at him with a smile, then C.J. looked at the other men and replied. "Yeah."

They all smiled again as they got up from the chairs they were sitting in, and after they said they will meet them at the park, Eric, Jesse and Natalia walked out of the room, leaving C.J., Horatio and Calleigh.

Calleigh looks down at C.J. and said. "Why don't you go with Horatio to the park and I'll meet you there, if its alright with him."

C.J. looks up at Horatio again, Horatio's heart was swelling with happiness because Calleigh trusted him enough to look after C.J,, which he wouldn't mind that all, so he smiled at C.J. and answered his questioning eyes. "I would be happy to." C.J. smiled again as Horatio looked at Calleigh and continued. "I'll take care of him."

She gives him a tender look as she replied. "I know you will." They look into each other's eyes for a few seconds before Calleigh squats down to C.J.'s level, then he walked up to her and gave her a kiss and a hug. After they said their I love you's, C.J. and Horatio walk out of the door together while Calleigh watched them as she stood up.

She was little happy that her secret was finally out. It wasn't that she wanted to hide C.J. like he was a dirty secret, she just had to make sure that the people she brings in their life, especially his, was going to be ok. And now that she sees that it will be, she won't have to feel like she is hiding a part of her life anymore, which will only continue to make her happy here.

She does a short sigh of relief before leaving the break room to go to her office to grab her things, then she left the lab to enjoy her time with her team members and C.J.

* * *

By the time Calleigh got to the basketball courts she noticed the team was there, and she had to smile because Eric and Jesse was now dressed for business, meaning they had t-shirt's, shorts and sneakers on. Natalia was in loose sweatpants, t-shirt and sneakers, and Horatio was still in the clothes he was wearing for shift.

As she got the bench where they all had put their belongings on, she hears C.J's voice. "Aunt Calleigh watch this."

She sits down on the bench and watched Eric pick up C.J. and put him on his shoulders, then after the ball was given to him, Eric made sure he held the little boy's legs and C.J. shot it and made it.

Calleigh cheered. "Good job C.J." He nodded with a smile, then his concentration went back to the game.

As Calleigh sat there watching her team interacting with C.J. she smiled again. She loved how they were already embracing him into the fold, then she looked at Horatio and he was laughing along with them, and her mind thinks. 'Especially Horatio.' she mentally shakes her head and looks down for a few seconds before looking back up and watching them again.

After a few minutes Horatio calls it a game and walks up to the bench Calleigh was sitting on.

When he got closer to it, he took of his sunglasses, tilted his head a little and asked. "Room for another?"

Calleigh nodded and replied. "Of course." Horatio sits down next to her and Calleigh continued. "Y'all so great with him, I can't believe I didn't introduce you guys sooner."

"I understand why you didn't." Then Horatio chuckled a little as he continued. "Now I think the guys are just trying to impress you, showing you that if you got involved with either of them that having C.J. is no problem."

Calleigh smiled as she watched the guys, she could see that, then she looked at Horatio and asked. "What about you?" Since that was the boldest move she's made towards him since she's been here, even though it was just asking a simple question, she got a little nervous.

Horatio swallowed and asked. "Me?"

"Yeah, was buying us dinner, the movie ticket's and C.J's basketball a way to impress me?"

Horatio looked into Calleigh's green eyes for a few seconds before looking toward the courts, which C.J. was now on Jesse's shoulders, and said. "I wasn't trying to win points, I was doing all those things because I wanted to."

He looked at Calleigh again, and the question 'why' was on her lips but right now she doesn't think she was really ready to hear the answer to that, so she nodded and said with a smile. "I know I've said this already, but Thank you for all that you have done."

He nodded and replied. "My Pleasure."

She smiled at him again, and after a moment's pause they continued to talk.

* * *

Over on the basketball courts Eric passes the ball to Jesse, who still had C.J. on his shoulders, then looks over at the bench and saw Calleigh and Horatio talking, laughing and smiling at each other.

Natalia taps him on the shoulders to get him out of his daze a few minutes later, and asked. "You ok?"

He nods his toward the bench and responded. "You notice something between them?"

Natalia looked over toward the bench and saw the same thing that Eric was seeing, and she had to admit there was something in their eyes. She looks at Eric again, pats him on the shoulder, and said. "Is this the part where I tell you that there are other fish in the sea?" Eric looks at her and she was smirking.

Jesse walked up to them a few seconds later, without C.J. on his shoulders, and asked. "What's going on?"

Before either one could answer, C.J. asked Natalia if she wanted to play with him, so she pats both of their shoulders this time and said. "Well I guess I can say better luck next time." Then she walked away from the guys to play with C.J.

After she had walked away Jesse asked. "What was that all about?" Eric indicate with his head that he should look over at the bench.

When he did he saw Calleigh and Horatio laughing, also seeing the look in their eyes.

He smiled, shook his head and said. "Well I guess neither of us should expect any one on one time with her, Natalia was right."

Eric nodded with a small sigh, a part of him was a little disappointed, but the unselfish part was happy for his boss. He doesn't know how many times Horatio's been out with women since he started working with him, but he did know that the ones he heard about never lasted very long, this one could be very different for him.

After a few seconds of silence, Jesse speaks again. "I am happy for him, hope it lasts."

Those two may not be a couple yet, but they had a feeling it was only a matter of time.

Eric nodded, and the two guys continued the game with C.J. and Natalia.

Calleigh and Horatio continued to talk with the occasional glances to the court to watch C.J. and the rest of them having a good time. She was also having a good time just talking to the man she was falling for every second she was around him.

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AN: Hope you enjoyed it. Please review.


	6. Dinner

AN: Thank you for the reviews and encouraging words. Here is your next chapter, I think you're going to enjoy it.

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Chapter 6: Dinner

After an hour and a half they were done playing, so they walked to the bench Horatio and Calleigh were sitting on.

Calleigh looked at C.J. and asked as she smiled. "Did you have fun?"

He nodded as he was breathing a little hard from running, then he said with a smile. "Yes, but I am a little thirsty now."

Being the prepared person she was, Calleigh turned to a bag that was sitting next to her, opens it up and pulls out a water bottle.

After she opens it up, she smiles as she hands it to him. "Here you go."

He smiled bigger and took the water bottle as Jesse speaks. "I guess it's time to hit the showers."

Both Natalia and Eric nodded in agreement, and after around of goodbyes and promises to C.J. they would do this again, the three of them walked away, leaving C.J., Calleigh and Horatio alone once again.

As C.J. was handing the water bottle back to Calleigh, he looked at Horatio and asked. "Are you having dinner with us again?"

Before Horatio could answer, Calleigh exclaimed. "C.J.!" The little boy looked down like he said something wrong, Calleigh sighed as she took the boy's hand and brought him closer. "You did nothing wrong buddy, but we are eating in tonight."

She knew that if they ended up eating out Horatio would more than likely end up paying the bill again and she didn't think it was right. She would feel like she was using him, and that's definitely not what she wanted when she felt so strongly for him, but wasn't ready to say anything yet. She mentally blushed thinking that.

Her blushing and own thoughts were interrupted when Horatio cleared his throat and squatted down so he was eye level with the boy, even though he was still looking down, and said. "You don't expect your aunt to be around me all day, do you?" C.J. looks up at Horatio and he continued with a smile. "She probably wants this time for just to the two of you, and that's alright. We'll set up another time for dinner again, ok?" C.J. nodded, but they both could tell he was a little sad.

Horatio gives him a little smile again as he stood up, then he grabs his jacket from the bench, looked down at Calleigh and said. "Enjoy your dinner and evening, ma'am." Calleigh nodded and if she wasn't mistaken she could see a little sadness in his eyes too, which made her heart ache.

What he had said to C.J. about her not expecting to be around him all day, she felt exactly the same thing about him being around them all day, but now that she saw the look in his eyes or at least what she thought she saw, she guesses she needs to rethink some things.

She mentally shook her head from those thoughts before she got herself confused, and as he turned around and started walking, Calleigh looked at C.J. and he still looked a little sad, then as she watched Horatio walk further away, her heart took charge.

She took a breath, stood up and shouted. "Horatio!" He stopped, turned around and tilted his head a little, she smiled. "Do you like Lasagna?" He nodded and she continued. "Come by at 7 and you are welcome to have some."

Horatio smiled. "You got it, want me to bring anything?"

She smiled back and shook her head. "Just yourself." He nods again with the smile still on his face, then as he turned back around he puts his sunglasses on and walked away with a spring in his step.

Calleigh watches him for a few more seconds, then she looks down at C.J. and he has a small smile on his face watching him too. When he looks up at his Aunt he loses the smile a little.

Calleigh shakes her head and said. "Really, you did nothing wrong. I know you were just trying to be nice."

He looked at her confusingly. "Aren't we suppose to be nice?

"You're right we are, but it's a little complicated." C.J. still looks at her with a confused face and she tires to explain. "It's just...It's just tha..."

C.J. cuts her off. "Grown up stuff?"

Calleigh smiled and goes the cowards way of explaining it by replying. "Yes."

C.J. nodded and responded. "OK, I'll let you do the asking from now on, but can I ask him if he wants to come to my birthday party?"

Even though his birthday was two months away he knew that Calleigh likes to know the guest list early, so why not ask if Horatio could come already?

She smiled again, and as she got her things and he puts his backpack on, she replied. "Yes, you can ask anybody you want to come."

As he grabs his basketball he asked. "Friends too?"

"Yes, but only three, ok?" He nodded with a smile, then as they started walking he continued. "Aunt Calleigh?"

"Yeah?"

He looks up as she looks down and he speaks again, this time in a sadder tone. "I wish was my mom could be there."

She kneels down in front of him so she could be eye level with him, then puts her hand on his cheek and answered. "I know you do buddy, me too. And I know it's not the same but she is always with you right here." She removed her hand from his cheek to his heart, and he nodded with a small sniffle.  
She gives him a reassuring smile and continued. "I feel like I can see her every time I look at you, you so much like her, and she would be so proud you. Just keep being the sweet, brave, boy you've been." He nodded again, this time with a smile. Calleigh cleared her throat to get the emotion out, then as she stood up she speaks again. "Now how about a small ice cream cone, then go home and get cleaned up for dinner?" He smiles again with a nod.

She chuckles a little, then they started walking toward the ice cream truck they heard coming.

* * *

After they had their small cones they headed home and took shower/bath's, then put on their nice clothes.

When they were done, and as C.J. was playing with his cars in his room, Calleigh was starting dinner in the kitchen.

Calleigh had just put the Lasagna in the oven when there was a knock on the door, she closed the oven door, looked toward the left where the front door was, and said loudly. "Just a minute." Then she takes off the oven mitts and hangs them on the hook that was on the side of the cupboard to the right of her before walking to the front door.

When she got to the door and grabbed the doorknob she took a small breath before opening it.

After the door was open and she saw that it was Horatio, she noticed he was wearing a dark blue, buttoned down shirt, black slacks and dress shoes. He saw that she was wearing a white button down shirt with a black skirt that went down to her knees and white strappy sandals. Both of their breath's hitched silently seeing their respective attires.

Finally Calleigh smiled and said. "Hi, come in."

He smiled as he hands her a bottle of white wine to her. "Here I got this for dinner, unless you don't wa..."

Calleigh cuts him off as she moved to the side to let him in the house. "I should be fine with one glass."

Horatio nods, then walked in the house.

A few seconds later C.J. came running into the living room, he smiled at the older man and said. "Hi Horatio."

Horatio smiled and replied. "Hi Buddy."

C.J. smiled bigger and asked. "You want to come see my room, it has a lot of superheroes on my wall."

Horatio looks over a Calleigh, who was now standing next to him, and she nodded. "Dinner won't be ready for a while now."

Horatio nodded, looked back at the boy, and answered. "I would love too."

As C.J. and Horatio were walking to the young boy's bedroom, Calleigh smiled as she walked to the kitchen to open the wine, already feeling pretty good about tonight.

* * *

40 minutes later, and they were finally at the dinner table eating with small, but comfortable talk in between bites.

As Dinner was coming to a close they noticed that C.J. couldn't keep his eyes open and his head kept bobbing up and down, so they smiled and Calleigh said. "I'll tuck him in, it looks like you guys must have worn him out today."

Just as Calleigh was going to set her fork down, Horatio shook his head and asked. "I can do it, I mean if you don't mind."

They look at each other, and if Calleigh wasn't already in love with the guy, she may have just fallen completely.

She sat there in shook for a few more seconds, then she cleared her throat and replied. "Sure."

He smiled, sets his fork down on his plate, stands up from his seat, walks to the little boy's side of the table and picks him up effortlessly, which C.J. automatically wraps his arms around his neck, then he walked toward the little boy's room as Calleigh's heart started soaring as she watched the whole interaction.

She took a moment before she started eating again.

A few minutes later Horatio comes back to the table and she looks up at him. "Thank you."

He smiled as he sat down. "You're welcome."

They look at each other for a few minutes, then they both go back to eating with small talk again.

After dinner was done, and while Calleigh was doing the dishes because she had insisted she to take care of them, Horatio was standing in the living room looking at a few pictures she had hanging on the wall and sitting on the bookshelf close to the TV.

When she was done in the kitchen she walked in the living room and stopped behind him as he was looking at a picture of when she was about 11, standing next to another 11-year-old girl with blond hair, they were both smiling with their arms around each other's shoulders.

As they stood there Horatio asked. "So you knew C.J.'s mom for a long time didn't you?"

She nodded, and as they walked to the to the couch, she replied. "Christy and I met when we started the same middle school and bonded over our hard family lives."

He looks at her a little worried that something happened to her, and She shook her head at his questioning eyes. "It wasn't abuse or anything like that, my parents just use to verbally fight a lot, let's just say it was a nasty divorce." He nodded and she continued. "Her family life wasn't much better, so we had each other." He nodded again and they took a sip of their beverages, which was now water.

After a few minutes she looks down at her water and speaks again. "She was so excited the night before it happened because she found out she was getting a raise, something she really wanted so she could get C.J. some really good presents for the upcoming holidays. She really loved her son and wanted him to have the best of everything, but couldn't afford it most of the time." Her eyes started to water and she sniffled.

That's when Horatio realized she was talking about 'that' night, and he was going to tell her that she didn't need to tell him, but she continued before he could get the words out. "The weather was horrible as she was driving home from the clinic where she worked as a receptionist, but it wasn't the storm that made her lose control of the car, it was a drunk driver who ran a red light that shouldn't have been out driving." She bends her head down and started to cry softly.

Horatio puts his water bottle on the end table, scoots closer to her, wraps his arms around her shoulders, then brings her closer to him and lets her cry in his chest.

When she calmed down a few minutes later, she pulls back from him, sniffled, looked up at him and whispered. "Sorry."

He shakes his as he cups her cheek. "You have nothing to be sorry about, she was your best friend." He uses his thumb to wipe her tears away, looks into her shinning green eyes and continued. "And do you know what I think?" She shook her head as he finished. "I think she would be so proud that you took in her son and put his needs in front of your own. I don't think a lot of people would do that, especially as young as you were, I admire that." Calleigh smiled at his words.

A few seconds passed and their eyes were still connected, then they both felt the atmosphere shift drastically when he started to run his thumb up and down her cheek and their hearts started racing. Right in that moment they felt they had two options, one they could go with what they were feeling and finally give into temptation or they could pull back and pretend this moment didn't happen.

However, the choice was made for them before they could decide what to do, when Calleigh's cell phone rang.

Calleigh cleared her throat and whispered. "I have to get that." He nodded and slowly removed his hand as she pulled back from him.

When she got off the couch she walked to the kitchen counter, cleared her throat, and picked up her phone. "Duquesne."

Ashley on the other end started speaking. "Hi Calleigh, I'm sorry but I won't be back in Miami until Sunday night."

"Is your Dad ok?"

"Yeah, he'll be ok, I just want to make sure I help get him settled back at home."

"I understand, I guess I'll see you Monday afternoon then."

"Thank you, and I am sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, things happen, just be there for your family and don't worry about anything."

"Ok, bye Calleigh."

"Bye Ashley."

After they hung up the phone and with her back still towards Horatio, Calleigh sighed for many different reasons. But before she could go over them she hears Horatio's voice coming closer to her. "Was that Ashley, is her dad ok?"

She nodded, cleared her throat, turned toward him and replied. "Yes that was, her dad is ok, but she won't be able to watch C.J. tomorrow."

Horatio nodded in understanding and responded. "Bring him to the lab and I'll watch him tomorrow."

Calleigh shook her head. "I can't ask you to d..."

He cuts her off. "I have to do a lot of paperwork anyways, I'll give Jesse a day to be boss, he will love it."

Calleigh smiled a little and replied. "Are you sure? I still don't fell ri..."

He cuts her off again, this time after putting his hand back on her cheek. "I am sure Calleigh. I know you don't have anybody else to fall back on and you won't be able to concentrate on any work if he is with somebody you don't trust, so what better person is there than m...your boss?" He was going to say 'me' but switched it to 'boss' at the last-minute so it would feel less personal, even though he wanted her to trust him more than just a boss.

As soon as that thought went to his mind he mentally shook it away.

Calleigh heard the almost slip and smiled a little, then replied softly. "There isn't anybody I trust more." It was scary to already admit that to him, but it was the truth and she felt that way every second she was around him.

He gives her a little smile, happy she felt that way, then after a few more minutes of looking into each other's eyes in silence he cleared his throat, stepped back as he took his hand off her cheek and said. "So you are bringing him in, right?" She nodded, he gives her another little smile before saying. "Alright. I better go and let you get some sleep." She didn't want him to go, but knew he had to, so she nodded and they walked to the door.

After she opened the door, he walked outside, turned to her and said. "Goodnight Calleigh, I had a wonderful time tonight."

"Goodnight Horatio, and so did I, I'll see you tomorrow."

He nods. "Ok."

After one more long look and another goodbye she shuts the door as he turned away from it.

When the door clicked shut Horatio sighed in content and walked to his vehicle with a smile. Despite the sad retailing of Calleigh's friend, he had a wonderful time, one of the best times he had in a very long time, and he wouldn't mind doing it again.

But then those pesky negative thoughts came through his mind. _'What are you doing? You are setting yourself up for a fall.' _He mentally shook those thoughts away and drove away once he got in his vehicle, hoping his thoughts weren't right.

Calleigh stood in front of the door and sighed in content. Despite sharing the sad story about her friend, she had a wonderful evening and it only reinforced on how she felt about him. She still wanted to be cautious though, but with each second the cautiousness was slowly dissolving. She mentally shook her head and finally walked away from the front door, then tidied up a little, before checking on C.J. and going to her room for bed.

When she got in her room and changed into her sleeping clothes, she crawls into bed, grabbed her phone from the nightstand, where she had put it when she came into the room to change, then she hit speed dial number two and waited for Sara to answer.

But after a few rings it went right to voice mail, so Calleigh left her a message instead. 'Hey Sara, I'm just getting ready to go bed, so call me sometime tomorrow, you won't believe what almost happened tonight, be safe and talk to you soon, bye.'

After Calleigh hung up and sets her phone back on the nightstand, she stretched and yawned, then sunk down into her mattress and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, and started dreaming of what could be.

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AN: So close. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. There is a little time jump next chapter. Please review.


	7. Two months later

AN: You guys have been great, thanks for the reviews. Here is the next chapter.

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Chapter 7: Two months later

After that night things between Calleigh and Horatio were better than they thought possible, of course they were still dancing around their feelings for one another, but they were becoming more at ease and building a friendship that would only solidify their relationship when they decide to go to the next level.  
He was even building a tight bond with C.J., every time he saw that kid he would light up, but really he would light up seeing Calleigh too. Both of them made him feel alive again, something he hadn't felt in a long time, or at anytime for that matter.

And everybody at the lab felt that something was brewing between them too, so now they were just waiting for the day where they would announce it to the world, but in the meantime they were having fun sitting back and watching the little looks and smiles that they shared between one another.

Now it was the end of another shift and the team was in the break room when Calleigh walked in, they smiled at her and she smiled back. "Hi guys."

They all nodded, then Eric asked. "So is C.J. ready for his birthday tomorrow?"

C.J. was turning 7 years old, and Calleigh couldn't believe that time had moved so quickly, it felt like he was just born yesterday.

Calleigh looked at Eric and replied. "Oh yes, and he wanted me to remind you guys that you are all invited." She looks at Alexx and continued. "You and your family are welcome to come too."

Alexx has a son that was 9 years old and a daughter that was 5, and C.J. has hung out them a few times since meeting the team.

Alexx smiled. "We would love too, thank you."

As Calleigh nodded Jesse asked. "So is your friend Sara still coming?"

Since they were getting to know Calleigh a little more she has told them a few things about her childhood friends.

Calleigh looks at Jesse and replied. "She is." Eric and Jesse smiled as Calleigh continued. "But don't think about trying anything, she already has her eyes set on somebody."

Eric smiled again as he replied. "Well that doesn't mean her eyes can't set on something else while she is here."

Calleigh shook her head with a chuckle. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you."

Eric nodded. "Duly noted."

They all smiled, then Horatio cleared his throat before announcing. "You guys all did a good job today, I'll see everybody tomorrow, enjoy your evenings."

They all nodded, got up from the seats and headed for the door.

After Calleigh watched the last member of the team walk out, she looked over at Horatio and asked. "C.J. won't stop talking about Raymond Jr. coming to the party, I think he is C.J.'s new best friend."

Raymond Jr. was Horatio's 8 year old nephew, he goes to the same school as C.J., so they hung out a lot since meeting each other.

Horatio nodded as he replied. "He is, and I think C.J. is becoming his best friend too." Calleigh smiled, liking the sound of that, then Horatio continued. "So is Sara still staying a week?"

"Yeah, she thought it would be a problem but her boss said it wasn't."

Horatio nodded. "You can have some days off, so you can hang out with her a little more."

Calleigh gives him an appreciated smile and replied. "Thank you Horatio, I was kind of worried on the short time I would have with her while she is here but having a few full days with her will give us more time to take a small trip or something."

"You're welcome."

They look at each in silence for a few minutes, then she cleared her throat and said. "I better go pick up C.J., Ashley has a date tonight."

"Ok, tell both of them I said hi."

"I will, goodbye, and see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

They smile at each other before she turns and walks out of the room.

Horatio watches her till she leaves the room, then he also walks out with a smile still on his face.

* * *

Later that night and after C.J. was asleep, Calleigh gets on the phone and calls Sara.

Sara picked up the phone after a few rings. "Sidle."

Calleigh smiled. "Are you all packed for this week?"

Sara smiled on her end. "You have no idea, I was practically done the day you called and invited me."

Calleigh chuckled. "I take it you need this break?"

"Yes, Grissom and I had this experiment behind the lab a few days ago." Calleigh makes a an 'OOO' noise and Sara chuckles before saying. "Believe me it wasn't nothing like that, and let's just say that I no longer eat meat."

Calleigh makes a face, she's heard some of the experiments Sara's boss loves to do and didn't even want to know what this one was about, she shakes her head and replied. "I don't want to know." Sara chuckles again, before Calleigh continued. "Anyways, what time is your flight, so I'll know when to pick you up."

"You don't have to do that. I know you'll be pretty busy, so just send me the address and I'll get a cab."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's no problem."

"Ok. So besides the experiment how are things between you and Grissom?"

Sara sighed before replying. "I don't know, one minute he could say something that makes me feel like he's interested in me, then the next he pushes me away like he feels he revealed too much, it's very confusing."

"I'm sorry Sar, maybe coming here will help you move on from your little crush."

It was silent for a few seconds, then after another sigh Sara continued a little sadly. "Cal, it's not a crush. I'm in love with him and have been since I met him."

Any other time Calleigh would've gloated that she knew it all along, but the tone in Sara's voice made her not.

"Maybe it's time you sit him down, look him in the eyes and tell him everything, then maybe he will know that your feelings are genuine and you're not playing games."

It was silent again for a few more seconds, then Sara asked. "What about you? You are in the same boat."

Calleigh knew that she was right, so after clearing her throat, she replied. "Ok new plan, when you go back to Vegas we'll tell our respective guys how we feel on the same day, what do you say?"

She was nervous with that prospect but she would feel like a hypocrite telling Sara what to do when she was in the same situation and didn't do what she preached, plus she felt it was time to stop dancing around him.

When she didn't get an answer right away she continued. "I know it's scary to put your heart on the line, but the only way we can move on or at least try to is to finally let the person we love know, and if they feel the same way then we will have what we wanted all along, which is love and happiness." Calleigh sighed then continued. "And unfortunately if they don't feel the same, then like I said, least we know it will be time to move on, no matter how much it will hurt."

She didn't know how Grissom felt about Sara because she wasn't around them, but she would like the feel that Horatio felt the same way she did, or else she had been mixing up some major signals, which if that was the case then being a CSI probably wasn't a good career choice.

Calleigh mentally shook her head as Sara finally talked. "You're right Cal, ok I'll agree to the new deal, but in the meantime I get to enjoy a stress free week on my visit."

Calleigh smiled and replied. "You got it." Then she stifled a yawn before she continued. "Listen Sara..."

Sara cuts her off. "I know, you have a busy day tomorrow, and plus I have an early plane to catch so it's ok. Have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, bye Sara."

"Bye Cal."

After they ended the call she closes her phone, puts it on her nightstand, sunk down on her mattress, covered up and fell asleep a few minutes later, thinking of the busy day she will have tomorrow. But it will be worth it since it's C.J.'s birthday and one of her best friends is coming for a week-long visit, she couldn't wait.

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AN: Even though not much happened, I hope you still liked it. Next chapter: C.J.'s B-day party. Please review.


	8. CJ's birthday party

AN: It makes me smile seeing your reviews, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Here is the next chapter.

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Chapter 8: C.J's birthday party

After C.J. and Calleigh woke up the next morning they got ready for their busy day, and C.J. actually helped.

As it got closer to the time where everybody was supposed to come, some people came early, like Ashley, Natalia, Eric, Jesse, and two out of the three friends C.J. invited, since Raymond Jr. wasn't coming until later with Horatio.

Then 30 minutes later Horatio came with Raymond Jr., and Alexx came with her two kids, her husband couldn't make it though.

After another 10 minutes Calleigh walked to the back door to look at the guests and they were now talking amongst themselves while the kids were playing on the beach, she jumped when Horatio talk behind her, after he had used the restroom. "I noticed your friend Sara isn't here yet." She looks at him with a small smile and he gives her a shy smile back as he apologized. "Sorry."

She shook her head and replied. "Yeah, she should be here soon. I actually thought she would be here sooner." She was a little worried that she hadn't showed up yet. But before she got more worried about it there were was a knock on the door. She smiled at him and said. "Excuse me." Horatio nodded as she turned to walk to the door.

When she got there and opened it, she smiled at the brown-haired, brown-eyed, 5'6, slim, Sara Sidle.

They smiled at each other as Sara dropped her two bags on the porch, then they hugged while chuckling.

When they pulled back Sara speaks. "Sorry I'm late, there was a delay in Dallas."

Calleigh waved it off and replied. "It's ok, the important thing is your here safely." Sara nodded and they get into another hug.

After they pulled back from the second hug, Calleigh grabbed a bag while Sara grabbed her other one before walking in the house.

Once Calleigh shuts the door she said. "Now let's introduce you to everybody."

Sara nodded again as they set her bags down to left side of the front door, then they walked to the back door and stopped in the doorway.

Calleigh cleared her throat and said. "Everybody this is Sara Sidle." She looks at Sara and continued. "And Sara this is everybody."

Sara smiled and said. "Hi everybody."

They all chuckled, then they came up to her one by one to introduce themselves, and after she said hi to Jesse, which he was giving her the smile, she looked at the Red-Head that was coming up to her.

He smiled, held out his hand and said. "And I am Horatio Cane."

Sara smiled as he said his name, then shook his hand and replied. "Oh, so this is the famous Horatio Caine." She looks over at Calleigh, and she could have sworn she was glaring at her. Sara chuckled as she looked at Horatio again and he was now looking down. Sara mentally shakes her head as they release hands and thinks. 'Oh they so belong together.'

When Horatio finally looked at Sara again, she continued. "My friend thinks very highly of you."

Horatio smiled at her, then at Calleigh as he replied. "I think highly of her too, so I think we are even." Calleigh looks down now, trying to hide her blush, then Horatio looks at Sara once again, and continued. "It was nice to meet you, I hope you have a good time here."

Sara nodded. "Thank you, and I plan to do just that." Horatio nodded with another smile and went back to the group to talk.

Both Sara and Calleigh watch him for a few seconds, then they looked at each other and Sara speaks. "Well if my opinion counts, I already like him."

Calleigh smiled as she nodded. "Your opinion counts a lot, and I am so glad." Sara gave her another smile.

A few minutes later C.J. comes running up to the women, along with his followers, and asked. "Aunt Calleigh, can I open presents now?"

Calleigh nodded. "Yes, but can you say hi to Sara first, she came a long way to visit you on your birthday."

C.J. looks at the other woman standing next to his Aunt and said. "Hi."

Sara smiled at him before replying. "Hi C.J., you probably don't remember me, I haven't seen you since you were five."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't."

"That's ok, it's been awhile."

C.J. nodded, looked back at Calleigh and she chuckles. "Alright, let's see what everybody got you." He smiles, then him and his followers ran to the long table they had set up and he sat down at the head of it as Calleigh told the guests that they were doing presents now.

10 minutes later after he enjoyed every present he opened, even a few superhero themed clothes, Calleigh cleared her throat and pulls out an evenelope from her pocket, then as she hands it to him said. "Here you go buddy, one more gift." She had already gotten him a spiderman action figure, but she couldn't help but spoil him a little.

C.J. took the envelope from her hand after saying thank you, then he opened it up, pulled out the item, which at first he didn't know what it was, but then he gets a big grin on his face after reading the four tickets he had in his hand, and asked. "I get to go to Disney world?"

She nodded and said with a smile. "Yes, and you get to bring one friend with you."

He smiled bigger, gets out of his chair, brings her into a hug from the waist and said. "Thank you so much Aunt Calleigh!"

She ran her hand up and down his back and replied. "You are so welcome buddy." They pull back and she takes the tickets from him for safe keeping, then said. "Now go play for a bit longer then I'll order the pizza and we can eat and have cake later." He nodded and after one more thank you, him and his followers went to go play.

Calleigh watched him for a few seconds, then looked at the guests and they were giving her smiles with an approving look, she smiles back at them, then turned and walked toward the house, but stopped when Horatio speaks. "That was a nice thing you did."

Calleigh turns to him, nods and replied. "Thank you. I just know it was something Christy would have wanted for her son." He nodded back, walked up to her, turns so he was shoulder to shoulder with her, then looks out at the beach where the kids were playing again, as she continued. "You know who he would want to take with him right?"

He looks at her and replied. "Raymond Jr." Calleigh nodded and Horatio continued. "I am sure his mother will be ok with it."

She didn't know much about Horatio's brother or sister-in law, only that his brother does undercover a lot for the police department and his sister-in law is a dective on swing shift, but heard that both of them are nice.

Calleigh nodded and replied. "I hope so or it would really bum him out." Horatio nodded with a smile as she smiled back, then she walked toward the house.

When she got to the doorway Sara was standing there with a sad look on her face, Calleigh raised an eyebrow and asked. "What?"

"So you guys are going to Disney world, huh?"

Calleigh smiled bigger with chuckle before she replied. "Well who do you think I got the fourth ticket for?"

Sara smiled back and asked. "Really?"

Calleigh chuckled again. "Yes really, you didn't think I was going to go after you left, did you?"

"Alright, good deal."

Calleigh chuckled one more time before walking into the house to call for some pizza.

* * *

An hour later they were all at the table finishing their pizza, when Calleigh's cell phone rings from her pocket, she pulls it out, frowns at the number as she gets up, then walks back in the house as she answered it.

Sara and Horatio look at each other and shrug their shoulders, not sure who that was.

When Calleigh came back 5 minutes later, Sara could feel her mood had shifted, so after she gets back to her seat but doesn't sit down yet, Sara asked. "Calleigh you ok?"

She shook her head and replied. "Yes." Before any more question's were asked she looked at the end of the table and asked. "You ready for some cake, birthday boy?" He nodded with a smile.

She turns around again, and walks into the kitchen to grab the cake.

When she sets it down on the table everybody noticed that it had spiderman on it with words in red frosting that said: Happy 7th Birthday C.J.

Calleigh puts the candles in, lights them up and they all sang happy birthday, which was way out of tune.

When they were done, he closed his eyes real tight to think of his wish, then blew the candles out as they all clapped.

After she took the candles out she cut the cake, then after she put C.J.'s piece in front of him, she served out the rest of the pieces to the other guests.

* * *

Once everybody was done with the cake, and after a few more hours they called it an evening, so one by one they all started walking out of the house saying goodbye, happy birthday's, and nice to meet you to Sara.

After Horatio and Calleigh had a last-minute smile at each other, he walked out of the door.

Calleigh shut the door, looked down at the little boy and said. "Alright, bath then bed time, buddy."

C.J. nodded and did what his Aunt said, while Sara and Calleigh finished cleaning up.

When they were done, and C.J. had his bath and was now in bed asleep, Calleigh walked into the living room, then pretty much collapsed on the couch with a sigh.

Sara smiled and asked. "Exhausted?"

Calleigh nodded. "Yes, but making sure he had a good birthday was worth it, I just hope that missing his mom stung a little less today."

Sara puts a comforting hand on her shoulder and replied. "I'm sure it did, he looked like he was having a good time." Calleigh nodded as Sara removed her hand, then continued. "And you seemed to be having a good time until that phone call, who was it?"

Calleigh reached for water that was on the coffee table, then took a sip after she said. "Kevin Mathews."

Kevin Mathews was an ex-boyfriend of Calleigh's when she still lived in New Orleans, he broke up with her when she took in C.J.

Sara narrowed her eyes and said. "What did he want?"

Sara wasn't very fond of the guy the few times she met him, and his reason for breaking up with Calleigh only made it worse.

Calleigh interrupted her thoughts. "He asked how I was doing and if I..."

Sara cuts her off. "If you still have C.J.?" Calleigh nodded, Sara shook her head as she continued. "What a jerk, even though I can't stand his reason for breaking up with you, I am glad you're not dating him anymore. You're better off without him."

Calleigh gave her a smile, with a nod and replied. "I believe so too."

Calleigh really liked him in the begging of their relationship but after a while she wasn't happy. It wasn't like he did anything bad to her, she just didn't feel anything for him anymore, so him breaking up with her felt like a blessing in disguise, and something she should have done long before he ever did.

Calleigh shook her head, cleared her throat and said. "Anyway, all that is over now, so let's talk about something else."

Sara raised an eyebrow and asked. "Like what?"

Calleigh shrugged her shoulders and replied. "Anything, everything, tell me more about your team in Las Vegas."

Sara nodded, cleared her throat and started talking.

They talked long into the night, just catching up and laughing as they talked about old memories, and both happy to have this carefree time together.

* * *

AN: Things are about to take a turn, is it good or bad? Find out next chapter. Please review.


	9. What happened?

AN: Thanks once again for the reviews. Now it's time for some drama, so hold on tight it's about to get a little bumpy.

* * *

Chapter 9: What happened?

The next day while C.J. was enjoying his last day of school before spring break, Calleigh was packing up for their four-day trip to Disney World. Then when he was out of school, him, Sara and Calleigh spent the day together having a good time, including going out to dinner. When they walked back into the house later that evening, Calleigh announced it was bath then bedtime, so they could get up early to start their day.

After he had his bath, Calleigh tucked him in and kissed him goodnight before walking out of the door, and cracking it behind her.

When she got into the living room she smiles at Sara, she smiles back and asked. "Sound asleep?"

Calleigh nodded. "Yeah, I told him the faster he falls asleep the faster tomorrow morning comes." Sara chuckled, and as Calleigh was about to sit down on the couch, her phone rings from the coffee table.

She sits down, leans forward to pick up, and answered it. "Duquesne, Hi Jesse...early...alright...bye."

After she hangs up, she puts the phone back on the coffee table as Sara asked. "What was that all about?"

Calleigh gets comfortable on the couch, looks at Sara and replied. "I think one of the guys has a thing for you."

Sara chuckled, while shaking her head. "I'll admit they are good-looking but I am not going there."

She did like meeting them, but the connection wasn't strong enough to turn her back on Grissom.

Calleigh nodded in understanding and said with a smile. "Well in any case, we are getting a free breakfast tomorrow."

"That's a good thing to hear." They chuckled a little, then Sara asked. "How do you know them buying breakfast for us isn't because of you?"

"They've kind of stepped back the last two months, of course they still do the occasional flirting, but nothing like it was when I first got here."

Sara nodded in understanding this time, and just as they were about to talk about other things, there was a knock on the door.

Sara asked. "Expecting anybody?"

Calleigh shook her head as she got up from the couch. "No, excuse me."

Sara nodded as Calleigh walked to the front door.

5 minutes later the door shuts and Sara raises an eyebrow at what she is holding and asked. "What in the world?"

Calleigh smiled and said. "What would you say a joke or a nice gesture from the guys at the lab?"

The delivery was a fruit basket that also had a bottle of wine and cheese in it.

Sara shakes her head as Calleigh was walking toward the kitchen counter to set it down. "I have no idea, did it come with a card?"

"Nope." Then Calleigh opens it, looks at the fruit and cheese, looks back at Sara and said. "It all looks edible and its free snacks, so why should I complain? Maybe the guys didn't want us to know who it was from "

"Yeah, I guess you have a point."

Calleigh nodded, looked back at the basket, puts the cheese and fruit up, then grabs the wine and asked. "You want some?"

Sara shook her head before replying. "I had enough to drink at dinner, I know my limit."

Calleigh didn't have an alcoholic drink at dinner because she was driving, besides she didn't like to drink a lot of that kinds of stuff in front of C.J., there were a few occasions where she would have a small glass when he was around, but she mostly liked to save it for when he is asleep, and even then it's only one or two more. But never enough to make her intoxicated.

Calleigh nodded again before pouring herself a glass and walking back to the couch to sit back down and talk.

An hour later they called it a night, and when Calleigh got up she felt a little dizzy, even though she only had one glass.

Sara stands up to help her and asked. "Are you ok?"

She nodded and replied. "Yeah, I guess this one went to my head." She looks at Sara, smiled and repeated. "Really I'm fine, I'll see you in the morning."

Sara nodded, released her and watched her walk down the hall to her bedroom to make sure she got there.

When Calleigh was in her room, Sara puts the wine bottle up and tided a little before making her bed on the couch, like she did last night, then settled down with a book before falling asleep an hour later.

* * *

The next morning

Eric and Jesse were sitting in the diner when they heard the bell ding from the door, they look in that direction and saw that it was Natalia and made a face.

When she got closer to them she asked. "What was that look about?"

Jesse shook his head and replied. "Sorry Nat, but they're not here yet, which they should be because they wanted to leave early."

Natalia nodded her head, then rolled her eyes and said. "Well there is something called a cell phone, guys." They guys looked down sheepishly as she chuckled. She grabbed her phone and said. "Sometimes I don't know what to do about you two." They look at her as she puts the phone up to her ear. After a few rings it went to voice mail, she frowned a little as she said. "Hi Cal, it's Natalia, we are at the diner waiting on you guys, so call when you get this, bye." She hangs up the phone, looks at the guys and said. "Maybe they are running late." They nodded as the bell from the door rang again, and this time all three of them looked in that direction, but it was somebody they didn't know this time.

They sighed right before the waitress came to take their orders, but since their party wasn't here yet they just ordered coffee. The waitress took their order before leaving the table.

The bell on the door rang again a few seconds later, and when they looked in that direction, they saw it was Horatio and Raymond Jr.

They showed a little smile to them but they couldn't help the feeling that they were feeling.

Horatio walked up to the table, gave his team a little smile and said. "Hi guys, where are the girls and C.J.?"

They looked at each other, then Eric looks up. "They're not here yet, and Calleigh didn't pick up her phone when Natalia called."

At first Horatio wanted to panic, but then he mentally told himself to calm down and replied. "Maybe she has it on silent as she is getting ready because she is running a little late." They nodded with a sigh this time, thinking that if he was calm then they should be too. But after 10 minutes rolled around with no sign of them or a phone call, that bad feeling came through all of them.

Finally Horatio shook his head, gets up from the chair he was sitting in and said. "Come on you guys, let's go check it out."

They nodded and Jesse put money on the table for their coffees and juice that Raymond Jr. ordered, then walked out of the diner to see what was keeping them.

When they stopped in front of Calleigh's house they saw that her vehicle was still in the driveway, then after Horatio told Raymond Jr. to stay in the vehicle, he got out as the rest of his team got out of their own vehicles and followed him.

Before they got to the front door Horatio told Jesse to go around the back, which he nodded and did just that.

Once they got to the front door Horatio knocked, but just as he was about to say something he heard. "H! Come here!" Jesse's tone sent his heart pounding as he looked at the other two. They pulled out their guns and nodded, then they followed Horatio to the back of the house.

When they got there Jesse was inside kneeling next to an unconscious Sara and on the phone with the ambulance.

Horatio pulled out his gun and walked in the house heading straight for the bedrooms with Eric and Natalia following him again.

After checking the rooms and finding them empty the team was distraught, Horatio's heart was still speeding, and he had to admit was frightened for the safety of Calleigh and C.J.

He tried to hold it together as he walked back into the living room and said Natalia's name, she looked over at him and he continued. "Can you please take Ray Jr. home? There won't be any trip today." She nodded before walking out the same way she came in.

Just as she walked outside Horatio walked to the back door, and noticed that there was a perfect circle cut out of the glass, so the intruder could stick his hand through and unlock the door.

He turned back around, walked up to Jesse, kneeled down and asked. "How is she doing?"

Jesse looked at him and replied. "She has a pulse, but it looks like she got knocked on the head pretty good, she's out cold."

Horatio nodded, then stood up as the paramedic's came into the house. Jesse stood up next to Horatio, so he was out-of-the-way to let them work.

As the Paramedics were working they asked question's, but since they didn't know her very well they weren't very helpful, so one of the guys asked if they could get in touch with some that would be.

Horatio nodded as he pulled out his phone from his pocket, then after getting the number of Sara's place of employment since he knew where she worked, he called the night shift supervisor at the Las Vegas Crime Lab.

Gilbert Grissom was 4 years older than Horatio, who stood at 5'10, with a medium build, he had blue eyes with short, light brown hair, and at the moment he was sitting at his desk doing paperwork, but he was interrupted when his office phone rings. He sighed, sets his pen down, takes his glasses off, picks up the phone and answered. "Grissom." He listens to the receptionist for a few seconds before replying. "Ok Judy, put him on." A second later Grissom speaks again. "What can I do for you Mr. Caine?"

Horatio cleared his throat and said. "As one supervisor to the other I know how much we hate giving these phone calls, but I had to let you know your colleague Sara Sidle is headed to the hospital."

Grissom's face just turned white as his heart sped up to a very fast rate, he cleared his throat a few times and asked. "Is she alright?"

After Horatio told him what happened, Grissom nodded as he got up in his chair. "I'll get the first flight I can."

"Ok, see you here."

After Grissom told him some immediate information for the paramedics and Horatio told him where to go when he got there, they hung up.

Horatio puts the phone in his pocket as he watched the Paramedics take Sara out of the house in a stretcher, then he looked around as Jesse asked. "What happened H?"

Horatio looked at the young man and replied as he was putting on his sunglasses. "That my friend, is what I am going to find out." Then he walked out, following the Paramedics, so he could wait in the hospital until Sara woke up and find out what happened.

* * *

AN: Find out what happens next. Please review.


	10. Asking questions

AN: Thanks for the support and kind words. Here is the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 10: Asking questions

Hours later

Horatio was standing in the waiting area, and he may have seemed calm and collected on the outside, but in the inside he was a wreck. He had been getting updates from his team, which they were still at Calleigh's house, but they found no other evidence at the moment to help them. What they needed was Sara to wake up and hope that she could fill in the gap on what happened.

Horatio mentally shook his head as he saw a man who was an inch shorter, a little broader and older than him walk in the hospital. He took a gamble and walked up to the man, then asked. "Gilbert Grissom?"

The man's blue eyes looked into Horatio's blue eyes, nodded, shook his hand and said. "Yes, and you must be Horatio Caine." Horatio nodded as they release hands.

As he was bringing his hand back to his side he couldn't help but really look into the older man's eyes.

The flight here from Las Vegas was by no means the shortest of ones life, but the way that Grissom was looking, it looked like he was on the longest one of is life, and Horatio's heart really went out to him because he knew with that look this man had feelings for the young woman in the hospital bed and knew he would be feeling the same way if the roles would have been reversed. Hell, he was feeling that way right now because least Grissom could see and be next to the woman he loved.

Horatio mentally shook his head and said. "I'll show you to her room now."

Grissom nodded and followed Horatio.

* * *

An hour later

Horatio was just walking to Sara's room after going to the restroom when a doctor and a few nurses ran past him and turned into Sara's room. He walked a little faster and stood in the doorway as he saw her waking up, then she became a little scared. The doctor was just about to sedate her, when Grissom speaks up. "Wait, let me talk to her." The sound of Grissom's voice made Sara look to the left, and she was confused as her heart rate was still spiking.  
He gave her a little smile, cups her cheek, and as he ran his thumb up and down, said. "Hey, you're ok now and you're safe." She nodded as the machines started to calm down.

The doctor walked up to the bed and checked to make sure she was ok, along with her memory. When he deemed her fit and ok to talk, he asked the men to watch her close and said he will be in the room to check on her later, then left with the nurses.

Once he was gone she looked at Grissom and asked. "What are you doing here?"

Grissom cleared his throat before speaking. "Horatio called and told me you were here."

As the events from last night came to her, she gets wide-eyed, looked at Horatio and asked. "Calleigh and C.J, where are they?"

Horatio shook his head. "I don't know."

The machines started to go off again and she was getting ready to climb out of bed, but Grissom tried to stop her. "Sara you need to..."

She shakes her head as she was pushing his hands away. "No I need to find.."

"No, what you need to do is stay in bed."

She glares at him and said. "Why are you so worried?"

"Because I don't want to lose you."

"You just don't want to lose one of your precious CSI's."

Grissom shook his head, and finally said something out loud he had kept a secret for almost two years. "No, I don't want to lose the woman I love!"

She stopped struggling against Grissom's hands as it became completely silent except for the machine beeping, only this time it was beeping for another reason, her heart was soaring in a good way.

She blinked a few times and asked quietly, still a little shocked. "You love me?"

He nodded with a small smile, then replied. "Yes, very much, so now can you please get back into bed and lie still."

She nodded and gets comfortable again as her mind was spinning from everything.

Grissom made sure she was covered, then leans down and kissed her forehead before sitting back down in the chair and taking her hand in his. They looked at each other, both with love in their eyes.

Horatio watched the scene really happy for them, but now it was time to find the woman he loved, so he cleared his throat and said. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Ms. Sidle can I ask you questions now?"

Sara looks away from Grissom to look at Horatio. "Sorry Horatio." She knew that witnessing that scene must have stung a little, but he just nodded, then she continued. "Please it's Sara, and of course, anything that will help get Calleigh and C.J. back."

"Ok Sara, can you tell me what happened before the attack?"

"Yeah, we had dinner out last night, then after Calleigh put C.J. down for bedtime there was a knock on the door, it was a delivery man."

Horatio tilts his head and asked. "What kind of delivery did she get that late?"

Sara licked her lips before she continued. "It was a fruit basket, only it had more than just fruit, there was wine and cheese too." She saw their looks and she nodded. "We thought it was weird too, but she also thought it could have been somebody from the lab that was pulling a joke or doing a nice gesture. Either way there was no card, but she still signed for it."

"Then what happened?"

"She opened the basket, put the fruit and cheese up, pulled out the wine and asked if I wanted any, but I had declined because I had my share of drinks earlier that night during dinner and I knew my limit. But since she didn't have anything earlier she thought she would have one glass, so after she poured herself one she sat down on the couch and we started talking, just basically about old times. We called it a night an hour later, so after she went to bed,  
I tided up, finished making my bed on the couch, read a few chapters of my book, then I fell asleep."

She took a moment to wet her lips again and heard Grissom say. "Here Sara, take a sip." She took the cup from his hands and took a sip of water from the straw. After she handed it back to him she thanked him with a smile. When he put the cup back on the table next to the bed, he took her hand again as she cleared her throat and spoke again. "I think I was asleep for a few hours before I heard a noise coming from the back door."

Horatio's mind thinks. 'Must have been when he snuck in after cutting the glass.'

His thoughts get interrupted when he heard Sara's voice again. "When I opened my eyes it was completely dark, I couldn't see anything, so I tried to turn on the lamp that was next to the couch but it wouldn't turn on, so I figured the light bulb went out. I got up anyways to check out the noise. I had barley gotten to the back door when somebody from behind came up to me. We struggled for a few minutes until I was knocked in the head with, what I think was the butt of a gun, and it must have been pretty good knock because that was the last thing I remember before waking up in here."

"Did you remember anything about the person who attacked you?"

Sara tried to think really hard, but then shook her head and replied. "No, but I do know it had to be a guy because the grip was too tight to be a woman's, and the height could have been around 6 feet, but that's just a guess."

After Horatio wrote it down, he asked another question. "Do you remember hearing anything before you lost consciousness?"

Again Sara thought, then answered. "I don't remember hearing anything, which is weird now that I think about it. Because if Calleigh would have heard the struggle she would have been in there in a heart beat." Sara had tears in her eyes as she continued. "There isn't anything she wouldn't have done to protect the people she cares about, and with C.J. in the house she wouldn't have thought twice if she had to do something drastic."

Horatio nodded in agreement as Grissom squeezed Sara's hand in comfort, she looks at him and Horatio speaks again after a few minutes of silence. "Was she acting any differently after drinking that glass of wine?"

Sara thinks about last night, then said. "Well she did seem a little dizzy when she got up from the couch, and like I said she only had one gla..." She trials off then gasped before saying. "Do you think something was in the wine?"

"I think so." Horatio look at Grissom and said. "She's fast."

Grissom shows a little smile as he looked at the woman in the bed. "She's one of the best." Sara looks back at Grissom with a smile of her own as Horatio picked up the phone and called Jesse get a sample of the wine, to see if there was any prints on the fruit basket, and to see if there was foul play with the power at the house.

After he hung up he asked. "Did she tell you who called her on C.J.'s birthday?" He remembered how she was after she stepped away from taking that call, so he thought that phone call could play a role in this.

As she looked back at Horatio she replied. "Yes she told me it was Kevin Matthews, her ex-boyfr..." She stops, looks at him wide-eyed and said. "It was him wasn't it?"

"Does he fit your description?"

Once again Sara thought really heard, then sighed as she shook his head. "I've only met him a few times, I can't remember."

"If you don't mind me asking, do you remember why they broke up?"

Sara cleared her throat and replied. "All that Calleigh told me was that before she decided to take care in C.J., Kevin told her that if she did that then they were done."

Horatio couldn't imagine not wanting C.J. apart of his life if he got to be involved with Calleigh, and anybody that didn't respect Calleigh's decision didn't even deserve either of them. He mentally shakes his head and asked. "How long where they together? And was there any abuse that she mentioned?" Horatio's blood boiled at that last question, if Kevin was the guy that had them and if he had hurt her in any way...

His inner thoughts were interrupted when he heard Sara's voice. "They started dating a few months after they graduated college, so about 3 years, and I don't think he was abusive or at least there were no signs that he was and she didn't mention any to me. But from what I gathered she wasn't very happy towards the end anyways, so even if C.J. didn't end up with her, they would've more than likely have broken up sooner rather than later."

Horatio nodded as he pulled out his phone again, and said. "I'll just check him out and see what he's been up to." Sara nodded and looked back at Grissom as Horatio gets his phone again, hits speed dial number 3, puts it up to his ear and waited for Eric to pick up.

A few seconds later Horatio hears. "Delko.

"Eric, I want you to go to the lab and check out a Kevin Mathews for me."

"You got it H, I'll get back to you."

"Alright, thank you."

"No problem."

They hang up just as Horatio saw Grissom bring the hand that had Sara's in it and kissed the top of it.

Horatio cleared his throat and asked one more question. "Sara, do you know who C.J.'s father is?"

Even if it this question was coming from left field, he wanted to cover all the bases.

Sara looked away from Grissom to look at Horatio again. "No, I barely even knew Christy before she died."

Sara looked down at her hands, Horatio tilts his head and asked. "But you do know something don't you?"

She looks back up at him and nodded, Grissom squeezed her hand and finally talked. "Honey, he needs to know anything that could help, no matter how insignificant you think it is, and I believe Calleigh and Christy would understand."

Sara nodded, cleared her throat and replied. "Calleigh told me what happened, then Christy had confirmed it when I saw her about a year before she died."  
She took a moment before continuing. "They were in their Junior year of college and most of the students were done with finals and getting ready to leave school for the summer, so they were having a party at one of the student's house. Calleigh had to decline because she still had one more final the next morning, so Christy went by herself and went a little overboard on the drinking. She woke up in somebody's bed she didn't know and walked out before seeing the guy she had been with because she was so scared and ashamed of her behavior.

"When she found out she was pregnant she didn't even think about her choice, she said that she made a mistake but it wasn't the child's fault. She also said that despite on how it happened it was the easiest decision she ever made, even though she knew it was going to be tough. She also felt that Calleigh would help out if she asked. She just didn't know how true her statement was." Then as she looked down at her hands again. "Sorry, I wish I could be more help."

Grissom squeezed her hand again, but Horatio speaks. "You did fine Sara."

Just as Sara nodded Horatio's phone went off, he said excuse himself and answered it. "Caine."

"I called one of the tech's to check it out, and he told me Kevin is completely clean, except for two speeding tickets, and they were issued here."

That perked Horatio's interest big time and asked. "He lives here?"

Eric smiled on his end and replied. "Yes, and already one step ahead of you, I am going to his address now." Horatio always encouraged his team to run with the lead if they had it, so they didn't have to wait from him to say the order.

"Send me the address, and I'll meet you there."

"You got it H."

As he hung up Sara speaks. "He lives here?" He nodded.

And just as she was thinking about trying to get out of the bed again, Grissom stopped her when he said. "Honey, don't even think about it." She looks over at him, ready to open her mouth but he continued. "I know you care about them and you want to help out, but you are just getting over a concussion that knocked you out pretty good and you need to stay here for observation, I'm sure that Horatio will keep us informed."

They both look at him and Horatio nodded as he replied. "I will Sara, I promise."

Sara sighed, then nodded. "Ok." She knew as much as she wanted to help out, Grissom was right, and if she ended back in the hospital then she was no help to anybody, especially if she hindered their progress by them watching her every move.

Horatio nodded back and watched the couple for a few seconds, then turned and walked out of the room to see what he can find out, so they'll be one step closer from bringing Calleigh and C.J. back to where they belong.

* * *

AN: Hope it was ok. And you all have a safe and wonderful weekend. Please review.


	11. Following the leads

AN: I know it feels like I am repeating myself, but I do thank you all for reviewing, it makes me happy and want to update quickly for you. Hope you are enjoying your weekend. Here is the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 11: Following the leads

When Horatio parked his vehicle in an empty spot at the nice looking, well-kept apartment complex, he could see Eric standing in front of the entrance.  
He took his keys out of the ignition, got out, locked the door, then walked up to the entrance.

As they walked inside, Horatio takes his sunglasses off and hangs them off the front of his blue, button down shirt, and they walked up to the second floor in silence, but with purpose.

Once they got to the apartment number, Horatio knocked and said. "Mr. Mathews, I am Horatio Caine from the Miami-Dade police department and I would like to ask you a few questions."

When they didn't hear anything in the apartment, Horatio saw that Eric was about to bust the door open, but he stopped him and said. "Eric, I know how much you want to go in there, but we can't go busting doors open, we need more information to go on."

Oh but Eric wasn't the only one that wanted to go busting the doors down. However, if Kevin is the reason Calleigh and C.J. where missing and they got there by not going by the book, then it could really hurt their case.

Eric sighed, and just as he was nodding, Horatio's phone rang. "Caine."

"H, the wine was tainted, it could've knocked out anybody. Someone did mess with Calleigh's power, and I got a print off the plastic that was over the gift basket."

Horatio perked up a little and asked. "Kevin Mathews?"

"No, a Fred Stevens. I believe he was the delivery man, he's in the system for a few DUI's. I got his address."

"Alright send it to me Jesse, and meet us there."

"You got it H."

They hung up, and as he puts the phone back on his clip, Eric smiled and asked. "A new lead?"

Horatio nods and replied. "A new lead." Then he turns and walks away with Eric following.

* * *

When Horatio parked his vehicle in front of the house that Fred was renting, Eric parked behind him, and a few seconds later Jesse parked behind Eric.

Once they got out of their vehicles they met at the closed gate of the chain link fence, then Horatio took the lead and opened it before walking up to the house and knocking on the front door. "Mr. Stevens this is Horatio Caine from the Miami-Dade police department and we would like to ask you some questions."

When he didn't get a response he was about to knock again, when Eric taps Horatio on the shoulder and said. "H." Horatio looks at him, and Eric points.

Horatio turns around and looks where he was pointing, and he saw a man with a slim build, who looked to be a little younger than him with a beard on his face, and he was looking down at his keys while carrying a grocery bag.

As Fred was turning to walk through his opened gate, he looked up and saw three men standing there at his front door looking at him. He wasted no time, he dropped his bag and started running the same direction he came from, but didn't get very far because Eric and Jesse had tracked him down. They had anticipated his move so they reacted fast, plus Fred wasn't that in-shape for a long chase.

By the time Horatio got to them, the men held Fred's arms pretty tight, while he was trying to shake free. "I didn't do anything."

Eric asked. "Then why run?"

Fred cleared his throat and said. "Authorities make me nervous, especially cops."

Jesse replied. "Well lucky for you we are CSI's first, or should I say luck isn't on your side right now."

Horatio stops in front of Fred, takes his sunglasses off while holding a file in his other hand, then after he folds his sunglasses and hangs them from his shirt again, he opens the file, pulls out a driver's license picture of Kevin, brought it in front of him and asked. "Mr. Stevens, do you know this man?" Fred looks at it before looking down and shaking his head no.

Eric and Jesse look at Horatio, and he nods, then pulls out two other pictures, holds one in front of Fred and asked. "How about this woman? Did you see her last night?" Fred looked at it for a second, then looked back down while shaking his head again.

This man was trying Horatio's patience, but he tried to keep calm as he pulled the second picture over Calleigh's picture and continued. "You see this boy." Fred looked at the picture of C.J. as Horatio speaks again. "If anything happens to this boy...(he puts Calleigh's picture in front of C.J.'s)..and this woman, then it's on your head. So I'll ask you again, do you know this man?" He pulled Kevin's picture in front of Fred again.

Fred looks at it again, sighed, then looked into Horatio's piercing blue eyes, and asked. "Do I get a deal?"

"We'll see."

Fred nodded, sighed again, before speaking. "I was in the bar last week and this man (he points to the picture) comes up next to me and asked if I wanted to make a few hundred bucks for making a delivery, sure I was suspicious but he said that it was just a friendly gesture, a piece offering to a woman."  
Horatio moved Calleigh's picture in front of Kevin's, then Fred nodded. "Yes that's her. He told me he was afraid that if he was the one to give it to her then she might reject it. Everything was provided for me here and all I had to do was make the delivery to her address, anything beyond that I don't know, I swear."

Horatio looked in the man's eyes and could tell he was saying the truth, so he nodded and said. "Boys release him, then Jesse cuff him and bring him in. Eric follow me."

Eric smiled, and as Jesse was cuffing Fred, said. "I say we got probable cause."

Horatio looks at Eric, nodded, and as he puts his sunglasses back on he turns and walked to the vehicle with Eric following him once again.

* * *

With the search warrant in his hand now, Horatio, Eric, and now Natalia, were back at Kevin's apartment complex, which this time the manager of the apartments was there, and after they showed him the warrant the man let the CSI's in, where they immediately went to work in the two bedroom apartment.

After 5 minutes of looking around the living room, Horatio walked to the coffee table, looked down and a picture caught his eye, he picked it up while he still had his white latex gloves on and read the back. 'Kevin age 8.'

He flips it back to look at the picture again as Eric walks up to him, which he had just been in Kevin's guest bedroom, and said. "It's clear in there."  
Eric stops next to him and he was about to say something, until he looked at picture, he paused for a second, then asked. "Do you think he changed his mind about dating Calleigh because..."

Before Eric could finish, Natalia walked in the room, cutting him off. "Well he has been following her and half of the closet is empty, I say he was in a hurry to leave."

Horatio turned around and saw that Natalia was holding a shoe box, then he walked up to Natalia to look inside of it, and there was multiple pictures of her and C.J. around the Miami area, including that first day C.J. was playing basketball with the team.

Horatio's blood was boiling, but before he could get into his inner thoughts, Natalia asked. "Do you think they are hurt? Do you think he took them out of Miami? And if so, where?"

Horatio took a breath to calm himself, then answered. "I'm not sure if he will hurt either of them. Sara said that he wasn't a violent man, but something could have snapped in him." He looks at Eric and he nodded in agreement, then he looked at Natalia again and continued. "I think he would take her out of Miami, but I'm not sure where. However, I believe I know somebody who would know."

Before any one of them could reply, Horatio already had his phone out and was dialing a number.

A few seconds later he hears. "Grissom."

"Grissom, it's Horatio, can I talk to Sara for a minute?"

Grissom removed his phone from his ear, and as he looked at Sara, said. "Horatio needs to talk to you."

She nods, takes the phone he was handing out, puts it up to her ear and asked. "Did you find her?"

"No, but with your help I think we will."

"I'm not sure how, but what is it?"

"Do you know if there is any place that she loved to go that Kevin would know about?"

"No..." She pauses for a few seconds. then changed her answer. "Wait! her family used to go to a cabin a lot when she was a kid, and she continued to go every once in a while as she got older. It's about an hour or so outside of New Orleans, and I am pretty sure he knew about it."

Horatio nodded and got the address from her, then told her thanks and hung up.

* * *

Once Sara ended the call she hands Grissom the phone with a sad look on her face.

After Grissom puts his phone in his pocket, he cups her cheek and said. "I know how much you want to help, but your health is more important at the moment. I think she would understand and she might even be mad at you if something happened to you because you weren't taking proper care of yourself."

Sara couldn't help but chuckle a little with a nod, then replied. "You're right, she would." Then she sighed and continued. "I just hope they find her and C.J."

Grissom nodded and said softly. "I know, but they seem like a great team, trust them."

She took a moment for herself, then looked at Grissom and said. "Thank you for being here." He nodded as she continued. "And about your confession earlier." He looked down shyly as she squeezed his hand, then she whispered. "I love you too."

He lifted his head up to look at her and they both have love in their eyes again with a small smile, even though a part of Sara's mind was with Calleigh and C.J., hoping they would find them soon before it was too late.

* * *

As Horatio hung up he said. "New Orleans."

Natalia asked. "You think?"

Horatio nodded as he hit speed dial number two, and after the second ring he hears Jesse's voice. "Cardoza."

"Jesse your boss until I get back."

"You found where they might be?"

"I'm following another lead, hoping I'm correct."

"Do you need backup?"

"I'll get some when I get up there."

Jesse smiled, knowing he was talking about Calleigh's old team, and said. "Ok, good luck."

After he said thank you and asked him to do a favor, they hung up.

He looked at his other two members as he puts his phone up and said. "Make sure this case is as solid as you can get it."

They nodded, and Eric asked. "You bringing him back alive?"

As much as he probably wouldn't even bat an eyelash on hurting/killing the man who hurt Calleigh and/or C.J. in any way, death would be too easy for him, so he needed him to be alive so he could suffer.

Horatio nodded and replied. "Yes sir."

Then he walked out of the room as he puts his sunglasses on, determined to get them back, no matter what dangers he has to go through to get to them.

* * *

AN: Will he find them? Find out next chapter. Please review.


	12. Just in the nick of time

AN: Happy for the new supporters, and the continuing support from those who started from the beginning of this story. Here is the next chapter. There is a new twist coming up, so beware.

* * *

Chapter 12: Just in the nick of time

After getting off the plane once it landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, Horatio rented a car and drove to the New Orleans police department.

When he walked in the building he found his way to the outside of the Captain's office, then he looked at the young, brown-haired, hazel-eyed, slim build, receptionist. She looked up from her computer, then smiled at him. "Can I help you sir?"

Horatio nodded as he walked up to the desk. "Hi Ma'am, I am Horatio Caine and I was wondering if Jack Richardson is available? I need to speak to him. It's kind of urgent."

She nodded as she replied. "One moment..." She gets cut off when the door to the Captain's office opened.

Horatio turns around and sees a man who is about 10 years older, he had a bald head, amber eyes, was 5'11, and a little bulky.

He smiled at Horatio, held out his hand and said. "Horatio, nice to see you again."

They had met years ago in New York at a CSI/Cop convention, and when Horatio was asking around for recommendation for a Ballistics expert, Jack was the one that told him about Calleigh. Even though it hurt to lose her from his CSI team, he felt that Calleigh would be happier in a different environment, she had seemed sad the last few months she was here.

Horatio nodded, walked up to him, shook his hand, and replied. "You too sir." As they were releasing hands, Horatio continued. "And I wish this could be a social call, but it's very urgent that I speak with you."

Jack nodded, looked at the receptionist, and said. "Hold all my calls, please."

She nodded and watched Horatio and her boss walk into his office.

After Jack shuts the door, he walks to the front of his desk, stopped, turned to him, and crossed his arms over his chest before asking. "What's wrong?"

Horatio cleared his throat. "It's Calleigh." Jack immediately perked up as Horatio said her name, and listened closely as he continued. "Her and C.J. were taken and I have a strong suspicion she is here in one of the cabins her family use to go to through the years."

"Whatever you need, you have it."

Jack walks around his desk as Horatio replied. "Just a few of your great men would be fine."

Jack nodded, and as he got his gun from his desk drawer, he asked. "Do you think Calleigh or little C.J are harmed?"

Horatio shook his head. "Besides drugging her, there is no indication that they were harmed in any way at this point, but that could've changed."

Jack nodded again before getting on his phone and calling a few of his best people, then ordering them to meet him outside of the building.

* * *

As they got to one of the parked vehicles on the side of the street, the door opens to the building and Horatio saw five officers rushing out, the man in the middle, who was more like leading the way was about 4 inches taller than him, he was slim like him too but had a little more muscle under his button down shirt, he had short brown hair, and as he got close Horatio noticed he had brown eyes.

When the man stopped in front of Jack, he asked. "What's going on Boss?"

Jack looked at him and replied. "It's Calleigh, Dan."

Dan perked up and asked a little worried. "Is she ok, what about C.J?"

Jack sighed before replying. "We don't know, but Horatio has an idea on where they might be."

Jack points to the man next to him, Dan looked at the red-head, held out his hand, and said. "Dan Wilson."

Horatio shook Dan's hand as he replied. "Horatio Caine."

After he was introduced to the other guys they split up in groups and got into two vehicles, which the leading vehicle had Dan in the driver's seat and Horatio in the passenger seat.

It was silent for a few minutes when Horatio feels his phone vibrate from his pocket, he pulls it out, flips it opens and answers it. "Caine...ok...Thanks Jesse...we are headed there now...Yes...Bye."

He hangs up with a sigh, looks down at his phone, and as he was putting it back in his pocket, Dan asked. "Not good news?"

"It definitely puts a new spin on the case."

When Horatio didn't elaborate it became silent again, then Dan speaks after he cleared his throat. "You love her, don't you?"

Horatio looks at Dan and asked. "You did or still do, don't you?"

They both saw the worry in each other's eyes and how bad it was affecting them.

Dan smiled, shook her head and replied. "Nothing happened between her and I, if that's what you were thinking. We were really good friends though, and frankly I think everybody who meets her falls a little in love with her at one time or another." Horatio looks away from Dan with a small smile, because he was right. His thoughts get interrupted when Dan speaks again. "It only matters on whose heart she gives hers to and I believe it's for keeps when she does."  
Dan stops at a street light, looks over at Horatio as he finished. "I may have not been the lucky one, but if you are, you make sure you take care of her because you'll never find another woman like her, trust me."

Horatio looks at the younger man and replied with. "I believe you, and I will." Dan could see that he really did believe him, and that he did have feelings for the woman.

Dan nodded, looked back at the street and started to drive away when the light turned green, then a few seconds later he puts the sirens on and drove a little faster as the other team followed behind him.

* * *

The day was turning into night as they got closer to their destination, and Dan turned off the sirens before speaking. "How are we doing this? Like all hell broke loose or with stealth?"

As much as Horatio wanted to rush in there, he believed nice and easy is the best way to ensure no-one got hurt, and not just Calleigh and C.J.

After making up his mind Horatio replied. "With Stealth."

Dan smiled. "Sounds like a plan."

He pulled over on the side of road before they hit the street where the cabins were, then got out, along with the Captain and two other officers from the other vehicle.

After the Captain, Dan, Horatio and one of the other officers got all the weapons, communication and protection they needed, the second officer got into the driver's side of the vehicle that Dan drove, and drove away with the other vehicle following, so it wasn't suspicious having them on the side of the road.  
But they were to stay close just in case they needed them right away.

After they clicked the safeties off of their gun, Jack speaks. "Dan you've got the lead on this one."

Dan looked at his Captain before looking at Horatio, wondering if that was ok with him, but Horatio just nodded and replied. "I just want them back safety, I'll play nice."

Dan smiled, nodded, then told the team what he wanted them to do to get the best possible result, which was to bring everyone home safely.

After they got the orders and which cabin it was, they took their time getting there, even breaking off into two groups and using whatever props they could to keep them covered just in case.

As Horatio and Dan got closer to the correct cabin they stopped behind a tree as his radio was going off, like they were communicating by Morse code.

When he got the information, Dan looked at Horatio and whispered. "There seems to be only one person in the cabin and their body temperature is going down."

Horatio tilts his head while asking. "Infrared camera?"

Dan smiled and whispered again. "The only way to go."

Horatio nodded with a smile before they started walking again, this time at a faster pace.

Finally they got to the only way in and out, which was the front door.

Jack looks back at the team, and Dan and Horatio nodded their heads as they turned on their flashlights to see in the darkness, but kept them pointing to the ground until they were ready. Jack holds up three fingers and counted down before opening the door.

Dan and Horatio rushed in pointing their lights and guns up, then Jack and the other officer followed them.

They cleared the rooms until coming to the last closed one, Dan looks at Horatio, which he nodded, telling him that he was ready.

A second later Dan opened the door and Horatio rushed in with his light flashing immediately to the bed, and gasped when he saw Calleigh was tied up with her head slouched to the side. He rushed up to her as Dan was shinning the light on Calleigh, and his face drained.

Horatio puts his hand on the pulse point and breathed a small sigh of relief. "She's still alive." Then he paused for a second before continuing. "Barely."  
He untied her while talking to her, even though she was unconscious.

As Horatio picked her up, Jack came up behind Dan and informed them. "There is no sign of the C.J."

Which was a good and bad thing in everybody's mind, good because that would mean he was hopefully still alive, and bad because he was still out there with that mad man.

After they nodded, Jack told Horatio to get Calleigh out of there and into a hospital as fast as he could while the rest of them would look around to see if there was any evidence that suggested where Kevin might have gone next.

Horatio nodded again, looks at Dan, which he puts his hand on Horatio's shoulder and said."We'll do everything we can to find something so we can get that boy back to her, now you do everything you can to get her back to us."

"You got it."

Dan released him and Horatio wasted as little time as he could getting out of the cabin, while caring Calleigh.

He breathed another sigh of relief a few minutes later when he saw one of the vehicles driving up to him. Once the vehicle stopped, Horatio gets in the back after laying her down in the back seat. Then after he shuts the door he tells the driver to hurry to the nearest hospital.

The cop nodded and did what was ordered.

* * *

30 minutes later

After rushing to and in the nearest hospital with Calleigh in his arms, a Doctor was just coming off his break and took her to the nearest room so he could take care of her.

Once they got her stabled and in a private room, the Doctor told Horatio that he was lucky he found her when he did or else it could have been a different outcome.

And it wasn't until Horatio was sitting by her bedside, holding her hand, hearing the machines beeping telling him that she had a strong heart beat, that he actually let his own heartbeat slow down and let his uneasiness go down a notch. Ever since this whole nightmare began his emotions were all over the place, including his heart. He just had to hide it so he could do his job probably.

But no matter how glad he was at the moment for finding Calleigh in time, he still sighed as he ran his hand down his face and closed his eyes for a second before opening them again and looking at the woman in the bed. He knew the nightmare wasn't over by a long shot, not until they got C.J. back. He could only imagine how she will be like if they didn't find him, but who was he kidding, he would be devastated too.

He shook his head from those depressing thoughts, squeezed Calleigh's hand and whispered. "We'll get him back sweetheart, just get better. He'll need you when we do." He stopped talking and thought. 'I need you.' He does another small sigh and just watched over her, like the protector he was.

* * *

AN: Like I said there is a new twist, find out more about it next chapter. Next Chapter: Calleigh wakes up and Horatio tells her something.


	13. Come Back to me, please

AN: Thank you for the reviews. Here is the next chapter and the twist.

* * *

Chapter 13: Come Back to me, please

After Horatio had sat down next to her bed for a few minutes, he gets up and makes a few phone calls, one to Sara and Grissom, and another to his team.

Now it's been hours since he took her to the hospital, and as he sat there he heard the machines beeping. He looked at them, then looked at Calleigh when she started groaning and trying to wake up. He was about to get up to walk to the head of the bed when the nurses and doctor rushed in the room to try to calm her down. When they had no choice, but to sedate her, Horatio asked if he could try to calm her down.

The doctor nodded as the nurse on Calleigh's left side moved out-of-the-way so Horatio could walk up to the bed. Once he was there he took Calleigh's hand, leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Calleigh, it's me Horatio, you're safe in the hospital now. No one is going to hurt you." Then in his mind he thinks. 'As long as I am breathing no on will hurt you again.' He comes back to the present when Calleigh finally opened her eyes and looked into Horatio's blue eyes.

He smiled while looking into her green eyes and continued. "Hi sweetheart, you came back." He used his free hand to move the hair from her forehead and speaks again. "The doctor needs to check and make sure everything is ok, alright?" She nodded and looked over at the doctor, and Horatio stayed there holding her hand the whole time.

When the doctor started asking questions, Calleigh needed a drink of water before she could answer them, then after she had some and answered his questions the doctor left with the nurses, satisfied that she was going to be alright.

Horatio breathed a sigh of relief as they left the room, then he grabbed the chair and brought it closer to the bed so he could sit down.

After he did that, he grabbed her hand again as she looked over at him. "Where is C.J.?"

When he didn't answer her right away, Horatio could see that her heart rate was spiking again, so he tried to reassure as best as he could, knowing it wouldn't fully help, but hoping it would give her a little comfort. "Hey, please calm down. I have three labs working around the clock looking at surveillance's from airports, bus and any train stations, they are trying to track him down. I know it isn't much, but wouldn't you rather be conscious then sedated."

She nodded and tried calming down a little, then asked. "Wait, you said three labs? How did you manage that?"

He gave her a little smile and said. "Dan and Jack wasted no time in helping, Dr. Gilbert Grissom called his AV tech expert and plus our team."

The moment he said Grissom's name, Calleigh immediately thought of Sara and gasped, then said. "Sara..."

Horatio cuts her off. "She is ok. She got knocked in the head pretty good but she is going to be fine. In fact when I called her a few hours ago she was just being discharged." Calleigh breathed a sigh of relief, and as she was calming down again, or at least a little, Horatio started asking her some questions. "So did you see that it was actually Kevin Mathews who did this to you?"

Calleigh looked at him wide-eyed. "How do you know about Kevin?"

"Sara told me, she was just trying to help, and from the looks of it she did big time or else we would have been in the dark on who could have done this to you."

Calleigh nodded in understanding, then answered. "Yes it was Kevin."

"Do you remember what happened?"

Calleigh's story started the same as Sara's, then she extended it to her ordeal. "When I woke up I was tied to a bed in the Cabin I went to a lot as child with my parents. I even went there a few times during and after college with a few friends, so that's how he knew about it." Horatio nodded again before she continued. "He wouldn't let me see C.J. and that was the worse torture he did to me, besides drugging me." She let a tear come out of her eye and he wiped away before she spoke again after a sigh. "I don't know how long the three of us was in there together and with him drugging me before they left I don't think I was in his final plans." Calleigh sighed in frustration and said. "I'm sorry Horatio, I'm not much help."

Horatio squeezed her hand and said. "Hey, we got what he's done, who it was for sure, and like I said three labs are tracking him down, and not to mention an APB out on him in every major city, he isn't going to hide from us."

She nodded as a few more tears went down her cheek again, he once again wiped them away before she started speaking in a sad tone. "I don't understand Horatio, why would Kevin do this? Not once did he show any signs of violence, he didn't even want to be in a relationship with me when I got guardianship of C.J.., and not to mention why even take him if it was only about me?"

Horatio waited for a second, then cleared his throat and asked. "Calleigh, do you know who C.J.'s father was?"

She looks at him, shook her head and replied. "No, did Sara tell you the story?" Horatio nodded, hoping she understood, which she must have because she was giving him an understanding look as she continued. "And I can't even tell you if Christy had the desire to find out who it was, and if she ever did, she never told me. Why do you ask?" He looked into her eyes before looking down at their hands.

After a second Calleigh squeezed his hand and asked again. "What is it, you know something don't you?"

He looked into her green eyes again, cleared his throat with a node, then replied. "I do." He took a moment and continued. "The father of C.J. is Kevin Mathews." She looked at him wide-eyed and was about to talk, but Horatio continued. "I really believe he didn't know at first and that his reason of breaking up with you was because he didn't want to share you with anybody." Calleigh nodded as Horatio spoke again after clearing his throat. " Now this is just speculation but I think sometime during the breakup period he regretted his decision on ending things with you, so when he found you here, he was sneaking around and taking pictures of you guys. And when he did that he saw a resemblance between him and C.J., and that must have gotten him suspicious."

He released Calleigh's hand as she laid there, still in complete shock on what he just said, then he reached down and grabbed a file that was under his chair that he put down there after he got her settled hours ago. He opens the file and handed her two pictures, one of when Kevin was eight that he found in his apartment and another of C.J. that was taken at school last year.

As Calleigh looked at them she could see a small resemblance, especially in the smile, then she cleared her throat, looked at him and asked. "So it's really true?"

Horatio nodded before replying. "I had Jesse take a hair sample from each of their hair brushes and he confirmed it, he even tracked down the doctor who did the test for him and C.J. who also confirmed it."

She took a breath and said. "Wow, I had no idea." She looks at him and asked. "Then why take me if it was really all about wanting C.J.?"

"The certain card that some guys like to play, if he couldn't have you then he didn't want..."

Calleigh cuts him off, knowing what he was going to say. "Anybody else to." Horatio nodded as Calleigh continued. "He must have noticed I looked happy, probably happier than I have ever been in my whole life." Her look turned to sincere when she said the last part. "And it's because of you, you made it happen the moment you asked for someone new to do the ballistics in your lab, so thank you."

He nodded as they looked deep into each other's eyes and both of their hearts were speeding up, and unlike before for either one, it was for a different reason. Then without thinking about it he squeezed her hand before releasing it and getting up from the chair. He walks to the head of the bed, cups her cheek as she closed her eyes for a second, then when she opened them back up and looked up into his blue eyes, he leans down.

Right before their lips touched for their first kiss, they get interrupted when Dan's voice came from the doorway. "We think we fo..." He stops when he noticed the proximity of Horatio and Calleigh.

The couple looked at the doorway, and he gives them an apologetic look. "Sorry you guys."

Horatio stood up straight and replied after clearing his throat from embarrassment. "What were you about to say?"

Dan opened his mouth, and just as he was about to talk, Sara's voice was heard. "Calleigh!"

Calleigh looked to the right of Dan, smiled at her and said. "Sara!"

The minute Sara got discharged the only place she wanted to go to was New Orleans, and they were lucky that they had found a flight so quickly.

Sara smiled with a laugh and didn't hesitate any longer, she walked up to the bed and gave her friend a hug as Grissom stopped in the doorway watching the scene.

As they pulled back Sara asked. "You really ok?"

Calleigh nodded, looked at her friend and replied. "I am, and what about you, you ok?"

Sara nodded with a smile, which if Calleigh wasn't mistaken was the biggest one she's seen from her in a very long time or ever, then watched Sara look at the doorway, so she followed the line of sight and saw an older man standing there next to Dan.

Sara and Calleigh looked at each other again, and Sara nodded with another smile, knowing what Calleigh was asking with her eyes.

Calleigh smiled back. "Congratulations Sara." Then she looked at the older man again and continued. "You must be Gilbert Grissom?"

Grissom nodded sheepishly as he replied. "I am, nice to meet you Calleigh, I wish it was in better circumstances."

Calleigh nodded, then looked at Dan and asked. "Ok sorry Dan, what is it you wanted to say?"

Dan cleared his throat and finally answered. "After we saw Kevin on the camera at the airport we followed up and it appears he went to Las Vegas."

After they gasped, Sara asked. "Why would he be going to Vegas?"

They look at Calleigh and she had a thinking look on her face, then said. "A friend of his moved there a year before Kevin and I broke up. He probably went to hide out, thinking we wouldn't have made it to tell anybody any details." She stopped for a second to think of his friend's name before continuing "A Rodney Jetso...no Jefferson...yeah." She looked at them and said with confidence. "Rodney Jefferson."

Sara looked at Grissom, which he nodded and said. "I am on it." Then turns and walks out of the room as he was getting on his phone.

Only a second passed after he left the room when Sara said. "Let's go."

Horatio nodded, then looked at Calleigh and showed with his eyes that he was torn on leaving or staying, knowing she still had to stay for observation. The decision was made however when Calleigh speaks. "C.J. needs you. He knows you better than anyone there, even more than Sara." She took his hand and continued. "Do it for me, I'll be fine."

They looked at each other tenderly, then Dan speaks. "Yeah man, I'll look after her for you."

Horatio looked at him and said. "Thank you." Dan nodded as Horatio looked back at Calleigh and continued. "Ok." Calleigh nodded and they continued to look at each other.

Sara cleared her throat, looked at Dan and said. "Why don't we give them a minute." Dan nodded, then turned and walked out of the room.

Sara grabbed Calleigh's hand, which made her turn to look at her friend, and Sara spoke with a smile. "I'm glad you're ok, we'll make sure to reschedule another time for us to visit one another."

Calleigh nodded and replied. "You betcha, take care, and I'm sorry that your trip got ruined."

"Don't worry about it, it wasn't your fault. You take care of yourself too, and I'll talk to you later, we have some things we need to talk about."

"Yes we do, I can't believe it's been only a day and we already need to catch up on some things."

Sara nodded with a smile. "Bye, Cal."

"Bye, Sara."

After they squeezed hands Sara released her, then walked out of the room and shuts the door behind her.

When it was just Horatio and Calleigh in the room, she looked at him as he cups her cheek again, then asked. "Are you ok about Christy and..."

He trails off, and she nodded a little. "I'll admit it's a little weird, but it wasn't like he cheated on me, we met years after that incident, and if they didn't really remember, then it wasn't like they were keeping a secret from me." She sighed before continuing. "Him being the father doesn't change anything about how I feel about C.J., or the law. In my book he kidnapped him, and I want him back."

He ran his hand up and down her cheek as he replied. "And I'll get him back for you, I promise." If that was the thing he will do, it will get done.

She nodded with tears in her eyes as she replied. "I believe you, but you make sure you come back too. I know how selfless you can be, but you don't always have to play the hero, so don't do anything foolish." He thought it was kind of funny that she already saw that trait in him.

He nodded as he wiped her tears away, then he removes his hand as he bends down, but before his lips got any closer to hers, she puts a finger on them to stop his progression. He looked at her with confusion in his eyes as she gives him a little smile. "Not yet, if you need the incentive to come back, then it will have to be our first kiss." He couldn't help but chuckle a little, then he nodded, moved his lips so they were above her forehead, then he leaned down and gave her a sweet kiss there.

As he pulled back he replied. "I'm looking forward to it, Sweetheart."

After one more kiss on the forehead and another short look, he turned to walk to the door, and as he got there, Calleigh spoke. "I am too, Handsome." Horatio looked back at her and she had another small smile on her face.

She had always wanted to call him that, so it finally felt good to say it out loud, despite what's going on around her.

Horatio gave her one more smile, then continued his short path to the door and walked out into the hall, where Sara, Dan and now Grissom stood.

Horatio looked at Dan, and the younger man nodded before walking into the room.

As the door was shutting, Horatio looked at Sara and she had a smirk on her face as she said. "Ready Romeo?"

Horatio smirked back. "Wrong play, Ms. Sidle."

Despite the situation Sara couldn't help but chuckle a little along with Grissom, then she cleared her throat and said in a more solemn voice. "Let's get C.J. back to where he belongs, and show Kevin that he went to the wrong 'backyard' this time."

The men nodded and started walking away from Calleigh's room with determination, nothing was going to stop them from getting that little boy back to the woman they cared about.

* * *

AN: Well I don't know if anybody was excepting that twist, but there it was. Now will Horatio complete the mission successfully or not? Find out next chapter. Please review.


	14. Rescuing him

AN: Thanks for the reviews. Here is the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 14: Rescuing him

With the combination of hours Horatio was by Calleigh's beside and the flight to Vegas, by the time the plane landed and they walked off the plane, light was peaking through the darkness.

As they were walking to the waiting area, Horatio saw a man who looked a little older and shorter than Grissom, he had brown hair, blue eyes and wearing a suit with a tie, and next to him was a woman who was older and shorter than Sara, with shoulder length blond hair and blue eyes. They were both smiling in their direction, so Horatio thought that Sara and Grissom must know them.

He find out the answer a second later when they stopped in front of them and Grissom held out his hand to the man before saying. "Jim."

Jim shook Grissom's hand, then Grissom looked at Horatio, and said. "Horatio Caine this is Jim Brass, he is the captain of the LVPD."

After Horatio and Brass released hands, Grissom continued on the next introduction. "And this is Catherine Willows, she's my assistant supervisor."

As Horatio took Catherine's hand to shake, he said. "Nice to meet you Ma'am."

Catherine smiled at his politeness. "Nice to meet you too, Horatio."

Horatio nodded as they release hands, then Grissom asked Brass. "Did you find them?"

They started walking toward the exit of the airport as Brass answered. "We had Mr. Jefferson's house under surveillance from the moment you called, and he hasn't been home yet, no one's been there."

Horatio spoke up. "Your guys were discreet right?"

He was hoping that they didn't somehow tip them off that there was officers watching the house.

Brass looked at Horatio and replied a little defensive. "Well I am certainly not a rookie and I made sure I had some of my most experienced officers out there."

Horatio shook his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend, I just..."

Brass cuts her off. "I understand. Let's just concentrate on getting the boy back, that is our first priority."

Horatio nodded as Catherine speaks. "How do we know that Mr. Mathews hadn't already harmed him in any way?"

Grissom sighed after a minutes pause, then replied. "Unfortunately we don't know for a fact, but until we find some kind of evidence that points us in another direction, we are planning on rescuing the boy alive." They all nodded, knowing that was the best he could say at a time like this.

When they stopped at the vehicles, Brass mentioned relieving the officers for the next shift, so Horatio speaks up again. "I'll take the next shift."

Brass was about to nod, then Sara mentioned. "I will too." Grissom looks at Sara and was about to talk, but she speaks before he could, while looking in his concern blue eyes. "I know I am not a cop, but I feel it is my responsibility to Calleigh and C.J. that I help. I don't want to let either of them down." Then she smirks a little as she finished her point. "Besides the doctor told me to stay up a bit longer, so what better way to stay up than a stake out?"

Horatio, Brass, and Catherine smiled, Grissom nodded after a sigh. "Ok, just be careful."

Sara wanted to put her hand on his cheek or even take his hand to give him an extra reassurance, but since they agreed to keep the start of their relationship a secret from their team for the time being, she just nodded and replied. "I will." Then she looked at Brass and said. "Ok, I'm ready." Brass nodded as Catherine gets in the driver's side of her vehicle.

Grissom watched Brass, Sara and Horatio walk a few vehicles down to go to Brass's, then he said. "Horatio."

Horatio looked back at Grissom, and speaks before Grissom could even get the words out. "Don't worry I got her back." Grissom gave him a little smile with a nod, before watching him turn back around and walked to Brass's vehicle.

Grissom took a breath, before getting in the passenger seat of Catherine's vehicle, hoping Sara will be alright. He just got her, he didn't know if he could handle losing her now. He mentally shook his head as he shuts the door.

Once the door was shut, he looks over at Catherine and she was smiling at him, so he raised an eyebrow and asked. "What?"

"Well considering you just dropped everything to go to Sara, I don't think you can deny your feelings for her anymore."

"You're right Catherine, I can't."

Catherine nodded as she started the vehicle, then spoke as she pulled out of the parking lot. "Now all you have to do is tell her."

As Grissom looked out his window he mentally smiled, because it already happened, and replied. "Yeah, soon."

Catherine nodded again with a smile and drove them to the crime lab to make sure the team was doing alright and to check in with the AV expert, Archie, to see if he had tracked Kevin, C.J. and possible Rodney anywhere else in the city.

* * *

Sara and Horatio had been sitting in the parked vehicle on Kevin's friend's street for hours now, and since it was daylight, Horatio has his sunglasses on.

After Sara took a sip of her coffee, she sighed and asked. "Are we even sure that Rodney didn't get a tip that he is being watched and he told Kevin?"

"I don't think we are a hundred percent sure on that, but I do know that I am not going back to Miami without C.J."

Sara looked over at Horatio from the driver's seat and asked. "You really care about them don't you?"

Horatio smiled, looked at her for a second, then turned his attention back to the house, and replied. "I think you already know the answer to that Sara."  
Sara smiled with a nod, then Horatio continued after a sigh. "But to say the words out loud, yes I do. Even though I know C.J. is a package deal if I want to get involved with Calleigh, I don't see him as somebody I have to tolerate in order to be with her. I really love that kid, and I want him back just as much as Calleigh does." Sara could really feel the emotion coming from his words and believed him, even if she couldn't see his eyes.

She was about to say something when the radio scanner came on and they heard. 'A vehicle going down the street with what looks like a Mr. Mathews driving and a child as his passenger, all officers that are nearby stay alert.' They see a vehicle in the distance, then Sara grabbed a map from the glove compartment and acted liked she was looking at it as the vehicle got closer to the house.

Horatio's heart was speeding up a little when he saw the vehicle pull in the driveway, and when he saw the man who could be Kevin get out and walk to the passenger side and opened the door for a little boy, he was itching to get out, but knew he had to wait a few more seconds. After Horatio saw two cop vehicles coming in both direction, he looked at the house again and the man and boy had just about reached the walk away, then Sara releases the map and said. "Let's go."

Horatio nodded, and as they both got out the vehicles stopped so they were blocking the convenient exits just incase Kevin decided he wanted to try and escape.

The quick action startled the man and he turned around, the boy turned around too and noticed Horatio right away, so he shouted. "Horatio!"

C.J. was going to run to him, but Kevin grabbed him by the shoulder, told him to be quiet and held him close with one hand as he used his other hand to take the gun out of the back of his pants and pointed it at Horatio.

The four officers were out of the vehicles by now using their doors as shields.

Horatio and Sara stopped, then Horatio speaks as they both turned their guns on Kevin. "You're trapped now Kevin, there is nowhere to go. Now let's all stop this before it gets more out of hand than it already has been."

Kevin kept his gun pointed at Horatio but looked at Sara, and Sara said with a smirk. "Nope you didn't get me. I seem to have a harder head then you think, now listen to what Horatio said."

Kevin looked at Horatio again and shook his head. "No! it can't end like this, I need to make up for everything that I missed with him."

Horatio decided to use what he was giving him, hoping for good results. "I get it, you want to be a good dad." Kevin nodded as Horatio continued. "But being a good dad is also recognizing when your child is scared and wanting to do everything you can to help them not be scared anymore, and if you really looked at C.J. you can see that he is frightened, you took him away from a place and the people he knew well."

Kevin shook his head and said with anger. "Calleigh could have been with us but she fell out of love with me, so I had to take care of it, and now I am taking care of you. You stole her from me."

The second Kevin said that, he took the safety off his gun, then C.J. shouted 'no' and pushed the man's arm away from his shoulders and started running toward Horatio and Sara. The push made Kevin's aim move so when he pulled the trigger it missed Horatio, hitting a tree in the next yard.

Sara had grabbed C.J. by the waist to stop him, then turned him around so she could shield him, then Kevin moved the gun to his own temple once he regained his balance, knowing there was no use, but before he could pull the trigger, Horatio had aimed for his shoulder and shot him so he would drop his gun in pain. And as he dropped his gun the other police officers wasted no time in getting him cuffed.

When Kevin was secured Horatio walked to Sara and C.J., and he could hear C.J. crying.

Horatio stopped next to the boy's shoulder as he takes his sunglasses off, then he kneels down, and said. "Buddy you're ok now."

C.J. wiped some of his tears away, looked at Horatio and wraps his arms around his neck as Horatio wraps his arms around the boy's waist, then C.J. talked. "I'm sorry I went with him, but he said he would hurt my Aunt Calleigh if I didn't, and I didn't want her to get hurt."

Horatio ran his hand up and down the boy's back as he replied. "You did nothing wrong, buddy. We got you back safety and that's all that matters now."

C.J. nodded as he pulled back from the older man's arms, then asked. "Is she ok?"

Horatio cups C.J.'s cheek, wiped the wetness off and replied. "She is fine, she misses you though."

"I miss her too, when can I see her?"

"Is soon ok?"

C.J. nodded, knowing he could trust Horatio to get him back to his Aunt Calleigh.

As Horatio was looking at C.J., C.J. moved his eyes over to Kevin, who was by one of the police vehicles, then he looked at Horatio again and asked. "Is he really my father?"

Horatio wasn't going to lie, so he shook his head and replied. "Yes, yes he is."

C.J. frowned, shook his head and replied. "I don't want him to be my father." Before Horatio could say anything C.J. whispered something. "I wish you were my father."

Warmness filled Horatio's heart and he couldn't do anything but smile at that, then he replied as he cups the boy's cheek again. "That means a lot to me, and you know what?" He made sure he really had C.J.'s attention when he continued. "I wish you were my son too." C.J. smiled, before wrapping his arms around his neck again. Horatio sighed in content and hugged him back while Sara watched the scene with a tear going down her cheek, before she wiped it away.

After a few more seconds, Horatio pulls back from the boy and asked. "Now we need you to fill in the blanks, so can you come with me and Sara to the police station and talk to the Captain?" C.J. nodded, Horatio smiled at him as he stood up, then said. "We'll go in a second, but can you go with Aunt Sara for a minute?"

Horatio looks at Sara and she nodded as she held out her hand, C.J. looked at her, then he took her hand, and she walked them to her vehicle.

Horatio watched them for a second, before walking over to Kevin, then he stops in front of him, took of his sunglasses and gave him the piercing look as he titled his head a little. "You're going away for a very long time, sir, and you'll have plenty of time to think about how your missions was unsuccessful in every way." Kevin looked at him shocked and questioningly, Horatio smiled and replied. "Yes she lives, she's too strong-willed, you should have known that." Then after one more look he turned around and started walking away as he was putting his sunglasses back on.

When he got to the passenger side of the vehicle Sara was driving, she looked over the roof and asked. "What did you say?"

"The truth."

Sara nodded, then they got in the vehicle.

After Horatio clicked his seatbelt in, he looks at the rearview mirror to watch C.J., who was looking out the window.

Sara talks as she watched him. "You know she'll understand why you told C.J. about his father without her. She liked being upfront with him when he asked questions, so she didn't feel like she was lying to him."

Horatio responded with a small smile. "You really good Sara, if I knew there was a way to recruit you for my team I wouldn't hesitate."

Sara had a small blush at the comment, then said with a smile. "Sorry, but I am to remain here and be loyal to another supervisor."

Horatio smirked. "Yeah, and I wonder why?"

Sara smiles, both knowing her exact reason for wanting to stay in Vegas, then she shakes her head, before driving them to the police station to get closure of the nightmare that had plagued them.

* * *

After C.J. talked to Brass about what happened, Horatio and C.J. was treated to a big breakfast by Grissom, Sara, Catherine and Brass. The rest of Grissom's team was working on a case they needed to get done, so they couldn't show.

Then after Brass and Catherine ate they said bye and left.

Now it was just Horatio, Grissom, Sara, and C.J., who was playing a few arcade games but in view of Horatio.

He sighed as he took a sip of his coffee, then as he ran his hand down his face, Sara asked. "No offence Horatio, but when was the last time you slept?"

He puts his hand on the table, checked on C.J., looked at Sara and replied. "When did the nightmare start?" He couldn't believe that it was only a day since he thought he lost his world, it felt like a week to him. And towards the end of the case his adrenaline, determination, and he will admit, a little fear was what was driving him. But now that it was over, he finally had food that he had been lacking, and when he can, he will finally get some sleep.

They look at him with sympathy, then Grissom said. "Why don't you and C.J. come over to my place and sleep on the pull out bed." Horatio was going to decline, knowing that Calleigh must want to see C.J. as soon as possible, but was cut off before he can when Grissom continued. "It will give you both a chance to get some rest so you won't be so tired when you see Calleigh."

Horatio did see reason in that, so he nodded. "Alright, thank you Gil."

Grissom nodded with a smile. "You're welcome."

Sara smiled that they were getting along, which would be perfect for future hang outs, then she just mentally smiled after she thought that, liking the idea of them all hanging out soon when they can be carefree and having a good time.

When the bill was paid, they all left the place they were eating at, then Grissom took Horatio and C.J. to the store to get them some clothes and other things they might need to get cleaned up, while Sara went to her apartment to clean up herself.

Once they got done in the store, Grissom drove them to his townhouse, and when they got in he told them to make themselves at home.

So after they both got cleaned up and in new comfortable clothes, they pulled out the fold out bed, which C.J. was kind of amazed by it since he's never seen one before, and as they were climbing on the bed C.J. asked. "Can we call Aunt Calleigh now?"

Horatio smiled, grabbed his phone from the end table, dialed a number, handed him the phone first and said. "Here, you can talk to her first."

C.J. smiled as he took the phone from his hands, then brought it up to his ear, and when he heard her voice he smiled as he exclaimed. "Aunt Calleigh!"

"Hey buddy! How are you?"

"I am fine, how are you?"

Calleigh sniffled with happy tears. "Better now that I get to hear your voice, is Horatio taking care of you?"

C.J. smiled as he looked at Horatio. "The best."

"That's good to hear."

As C.J. continued to talk to Calleigh, Horatio gets up from the bed when he saw that Grissom was walking toward the kitchen.

They met at the dinning room table, and Grissom asked. "You want some coffee or water?"

"Water, please."

Grissom nodded, grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and handed it to him, before getting him a cup of coffee, then they both sat down at the table.

For a few minutes Horatio was watching C.J. talk, then Grissom mentioned. "You ready to be involved in an instant family setting?"

Horatio smiled as he watched the little boy, then looked at Grissom and replied. "I am. Even though it's only been two months, I've fallen for both of them."

Grissom nodded and was about to say something when there was a knock on the door, so he gets up after excusing himself from the table, then he walked to the door and opened it up for Sara. Horatio watched them smile at each other before Grissom kissed Sara on the cheek almost hesitantly, he noticed they had to get use to those types of gestures, but had a feeling they will pick it up quickly.

After shutting the door, Sara and Grissom walked to the dinning room table, then Sara looked over at the pull out bed and saw C.J. talking on the phone. She looked at Horatio and said. "You realize she is going to keep him on the phone awhile."

Horatio chuckled a little. "I know, don't worry I have a charger, just hope Dan has one too." He knew he had to call Dan's number in order for C.J. to talk to Calleigh.

They chuckled for a few seconds, then after Sara sat down at the table they started talking, but then got interrupted when Grissom got a text message.

After he looked at it he looked at Horatio and said. "Two members of my team, Nick and Warrick, got an ID of the dead body they found. It was Rodney Jefferson, but they don't believe that Kevin had anything to do with it because he's been dead longer than a day."

Horatio asked. "Gambling problem gone bad?"

They all looked in Rodney's history and that was his weakness.

Grissom nodded. "Possible, or he finally won and was mugged, my team will find out."

Horatio nodded, then a few minutes later they go back to talking.

10 minutes later, C.J. walks over to the table, and said. "Here Horatio, Aunt Calleigh wants to talk to you."

After C.J. said goodbye and love to his Aunt he hands Horatio the phone, which he smiled, took the phone from the little boy's hand and started talking as he got up from the chair and walked to the living room window.

"Hi Calleigh."

Calleigh sniffled again before wiping her tears away. "Thank you so much for finding him."

"I wouldn't have stopped until I did."

"And I really believe that."

"Good because that's the truth."

Calleigh nodded, even though Horatio couldn't see her, then speaks again after clearing her throat. "C.J. tells me you guys are having a little sleep over with Grissom."

"Well sort of, we kind of have the townhouse to ourselves, seeing as he works graveyard."

"True."

She sighed and was about to talk, then he talked again. "I know how much you want to see us tonight, but..."

Calleigh cuts him off. "Both of you need your rest I understand, just know that I will be having a little sleep over myself."

Horatio's became stiff as he asked. "They are releasing you from the hospital?"

"Yes, and since I can't get a hold of my parents because they aren't in New Orleans right now, Dan agreed to let me use his bed for tonight, so we'll meet in Miami tomorrow morning." Before Horatio could let the feeling of jealousy wash over him, Calleigh continued. "Now no need to get jealous Handsome, he will be on the couch."

He hears her chuckle as he closes his eyes at the sound, then he opened them up and took a breath. "That's good to hear...I mean...I.."

Calleigh cuts him off again after another short chuckle, knowing he probably didn't mean to let a little of his feelings for her slip out in the open at this moment. "I understand." A few seconds later she cleared her throat, then asked. "C.J. also told me that him and Kevin didn't see his friend, but he a key to his place."

Horatio took another breath and filled her in everything, then after a few more minutes of pleasantries they finally said see you tomorrow, goodnight and goodbye, before hanging up.

* * *

When Calleigh hung up the phone on her end, she hands Dan the phone. "Sorry it took so long."

Dan shook his head as he grabbed the phone, then replied. "Don't worry about it. I can tell that C.J. called at the right time, you needed to talk to them." She nodded and looked at her hands as she sighed in relief, then he said. "You love him, don't you?"

Calleigh knew who Dan was talking about, so she looked at him with a nod."I do." She watched Dan look down and continued. "I am so sorry Dan, you are one of my dearest friends and I am so glad I met you when I was here in New Orleans, but that spark for you was never there."

Dan nodded in understanding, squeezed her hand as he responded. "Just be happy, that's all I want."

Calleigh smiled as she replied. "And you'll find happiness too, I know it." Dan just nodded with a smile of his own.

They will never be more than friends, but least he'll get to spend this short time with a friend he's missed these last two months.

* * *

When Horatio had hung up his phone, he walked back to the table, and Sara and Grissom were smiling at him, he just shakes his head with a smile of his own and said. "Yeah, Yeah, I'm in love."

They chuckled as he sat down next to C.J., who was now drinking hot Chocolate from a coffee mug.

It was a few minutes of silence, then they started talking, while a part of Horatio and C.J. was waiting for tomorrow to come so they could go back home and be with the woman they loved.

* * *

AN: Next chapter: They are reunited and a moment I'm sure you've all been waiting for. Excited? Please review.


	15. Reunited

AN: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to review, it really means a lot to me. Now here is one of the moments you've all been waiting for. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 15: Reunited

When 7 O'clock in the morning rolled around and after Grissom got off work, him and Sara took C.J. and Horatio out to breakfast. After breakfast they went to the airport, got two plane tickets 30 minutes before the plane was scheduled to board, then walked to the gate as Horatio called Calleigh to let her know when the plane was scheduled to be in Miami, and by the time they got to the waiting area it was time to board.

Horatio and C.J. said bye to Grissom first and thanked him for his hospitality, which Grissom just waived it off and told them it was no problem, then they said goodbye to Sara with hugs.

As Horatio and Sara pulled apart, she said. "I'll call her in a few days to catch up."

He nodded. "Ok, she would like that. The next time we see you, I hope it's not a repeat."

"You're telling me, take care of them."

Horatio nodded, like it was a no brainer, then after one more goodbye, Horatio and C.J. boarded their plane as Sara and Grissom watched.

When they were out of sight Sara sighed as Grissom wraps an arm around her waist, then he kissed her temple and asked. "You ok?"

She nodded as she looked into his blue eyes. "I am. I believe Calleigh will end up having the family she had always wanted."

Grissom smiled at her with a nod in understanding, then asked. "And you?"

She slips her hand in his, and as they started walking, she replied. "I found a man I could love forever."

He kissed her temple a second time before responding. "I love you too."

* * *

It felt like forever to C.J. and Horatio but the plane finally landed at the airport in Miami, and the moment they had the seatbelt light on they took theirs off, stood up and waited for the people in front of them to gather their belongings. When they finally started walking Horatio made sure that C.J. was in front of him the whole time.

The moment they walked in the waiting area at their gate, the guys were searching for Calleigh.

Horatio spotted her and Jesse a few seconds later, then he smiled, stopped C.J., whispered in his ear and pointed her out.

The little boy looked where he was pointing and got a huge smile on his face, then started running to her as he shouted. "Aunt Calleigh!"

Calleigh smiled when she saw the little boy running up to her, then she kneeled down while holding out her arms, waiting for the hug she desperately needed. In no time flat he was finally in her arms and she held him tight with tears in her eyes, thankful he was alright, even C.J. had a few tears in his eyes.

By the time Calleigh had pulled back, Horatio was shaking hands with Jesse as the younger man welcomed him home, and after Calleigh checked C.J. over and asking if he was really ok, which he just nodded with a smile, she gave him another hug and told him that she loved him.

A few minutes later, Calleigh and C.J. pulled back again, then she stood up, looked down at C.J. for a few more seconds, before turning her attention to Horatio. She walks the few steps to him, looked into his blue eyes, then brings him in a hug and started to have tears in her eyes again as she spoke. "I know I already said this, but Thank you so much for finding him."

Horatio ran his hand up and down her back as he whispered. "I would've searched anywhere for either of you." He felt her sigh as he continued to hold her.

After a few minutes they pull back from each other and he gives her a little smile. "Ready to leave?" She nodded as Jesse and C.J. started walking.

Horatio steps around her, then was about to take a step forward so they could start walking, when Calleigh took his hand in hers and said. "But first there was something I promised I would give you."

He turned around to look at her, then looked around at where they were standing, before looking at her again. "Here?"

She whispered as she took a step closer to him. "Unless you don't really want to, or think you can wait till la..."

Horatio puts his finger to her lips to cut her off, then he moves his hand to cup her cheek and stepped closer to her so the space between them was very slim, and responded. "Well if the Ma'am has no problem doing it here, then I don't either." They smiled right before their lips finally touched for their first kiss.

This wasn't the romantic setting they had planned for their first kiss, or even when he wanted to kiss her at the hospital, but the moment their lips touched they didn't care where they did it, just as long as it involved the two of them.

When they finally pulled back, they put their foreheads together and closed their eyes to get their breathing back to normal. After they pulled their foreheads away, they opened their eyes and just looked at each other as their eyes were sparkling in delight. Then he smiled again, took her hand in his and said. "You ready now?" She nodded with a smile, squeezed his hand and they started walking.

Once they caught up with C.J. and Jesse, C.J. got on the other side of Calleigh and took her hand. She looked down at him and he looked up smiling at her. She was going to ask if he was ok with Horatio and her, but with the look C.J. was giving her, she didn't think there will be any problem with her and Horatio in his eyes.

When they finally got to Jesse's vehicle, Horatio helped Calleigh into the passenger seat before taking the backseat with C.J., then when Jesse got into the driver's side he was looking over at Calleigh with a smile or it was more like a smirk.

She looked at him, smiled back and shook her head. "Oh stop it, just drive already." He chuckled with a nod, then did was he was told.

* * *

When they got to Calleigh's place, they all noticed the team's vehicles were there, so she asked. "What's this?"

Jesse stopped the vehicle on the side of the road, and as he pulled the keys out of the ignition, he replied. "Your homecoming party, plus we fixed up the damage."

She was very touched by that. "Thank you." He nodded and they all got out of the vehicle.

As they were closing the vehicle doors she hears her name being called, so she turns around and smiled at Ashley "Hi Ashley."

She smiled, then smiled bigger when she saw C.J. walk up to Calleigh, she breathed a sigh of relief and said. "I am glad you two are ok, I was worried."

"Thank you." Calleigh looked at the house, then looked at Ashley again and continued. "You are welcome to come in."

She shook her head. "Sorry I can't, but some other time ok?"

"Alright, enjoy your day."

"You too."

After a quick hi and bye to the other men, Ashley walked to her place as the rest of them walked to the front door of Calleigh's place.

Once they got inside Calleigh and C.J. were immediately greeted by Natalia, Eric and Alexx, and after the hugs and handshakes where issued they had a wonderful time talking, laughing, snacking and just really enjoying their time together.

Even C.J. had fun when he saw that the kids had come over too.

* * *

Hours and a few pizza boxes later the team called it a night, so they were saying goodbye one bye one, until Horatio was the only one left. Eric asked him if he needed a ride home, but he told him that he will just take a cab, which Jesse was secretly smiling when he heard that, knowing why he would want to stay after everybody left.

After Horatio helped Calleigh clean up, which she didn't ask him to but he wanted to, and helped putting C.J. down for bed, he called a cab.

As the time past they started walking to the front door, and they had just gotten there when they hear a horn beeping, letting them know it was there. He opened the front door, took a step out on the porch and made sure the cabbie knew he was there, so he wouldn't drive away, even though he could think of worse places to be stuck at. Then he turns his attention back to Calleigh, who was now standing the doorway.

Calleigh could see his worried look, so she puts a hand on his cheek. "I'm fine, you saw the new alarm system the owner set up, Kevin is locked up out-of-town and I haven't gotten any deliverers." She had a small smirk on the last one. Then he nodded as he looked down, Calleigh brings his face back up and asked. "What is it?"

He did a small sigh, before replying. "I don't know how you'll take this, but since C.J. asked, I told him that Kevin was his father."

"Oh, and what did he say?"

"He said that he wished I was his father."

She didn't know what to say except. "Wow."

"Are you upset that I told him?"

She shook her head and ran her thumb up and down his cheek. "No, it would have been nice if I was there for him when he found out, but if anybody had to tell him I am glad it was you."

He looked into her eyes and saw that she was telling him the truth, which lifted some of the weight he felt was on his shoulders thinking he had overstepped.

She reassured him when she spoke again. "Don't worry you didn't overstep, he asked you question and you answered it honestly, so really it's ok."

He nodded with a smile, then sighed before speaking again. "I better go, and you better get some sleep."

She nodded with a smile of her own. "I will, and you too, this has been a tiring two days."

"I agree." He puts his hand on top of hers that was still on his cheek, then steps closer to her and they kiss softly.

When they pull back he speaks again, while looking into her eyes. "You can still take some days off if you want."

She shook her head. "No I'm fine, I want to go in tomorrow." He nodded, and after one more peck on the lips they smiled at each other, said goodnight one more time, then he turned and reluctantly left the doorway. Calleigh watched him get in the cab, and as it drove away she shuts the front door and locked it, before setting the alarm and getting ready for bed.

After she texted Sara, telling her they will talk tomorrow, she got into bed and laid down, but after 10 minutes of tossing and turning she couldn't fall asleep, so she gets up and walks to C.J.'s room. Then she opened the door, walked in and stopped at his bed when she got closer, she looked down and just watched him sleep.

As she kneels down, C.J. opened his eyes and asked sleepily. "You ok Aunt Calleigh?"

She smiled and whispered. "I am now, go back to sleep, buddy." He nodded as he closed his eyes, and moments later he was asleep again.

Calleigh stands up after a few minutes, leans down, kissed his head, walked out of his room, made extra sure the alarm was on and the door was locked, before climbing back in bed and falling asleep.

* * *

The next morning

After they got up and got ready for their day, C.J. and Calleigh were sitting at the dinning room table eating their breakfast in silence. Then after Calleigh swallowed a bite of egg, she looked over at him and said. "C.J.?"

He looked up from his breakfast. "Yeah?"

Calleigh took a breath and continued. "Horatio told me, that he told you, that Kevin was your father, how do you feel about that?"

She felt like he needed to get these feelings out, and he did a moment later as he was shaking his head. "I don't like it." Then he started get tears in his eyes as he continued. "He tried to hurt you, your friend Sara, and almost shot Horatio." Calleigh's heart skipped a beat after he said that, but before she went into a frenzy she continued to listen to him, he sniffled before speaking again. "I really didn't like it, and I wish that..." He trials off, not sure if he should tell her what he wished.

Calleigh gets up from her seat, kneels down next to his chair, puts her hand on his cheek to wipe his tears away and finished his sentence. "You wish Horatio was your father?" He nodded and started to cry, thinking what he wished was a bad thing, but Calleigh just brings the boy in her arms and hugs him while saying. "It's not wrong to wish things buddy, and you don't ever have to see Kevin again if you don't want to."

He sniffled as he replied. "I don't."

She pulls him back, puts her hand back on his cheek to wipe his tears away, and said looking into his brown eyes. "Then you won't, Horatio and I will make sure if it, ok?"

He nodded as he wiped the rest of his tears away, then said. "Do you know what Horatio said when I told him I wished he was my father?" Calleigh shook her head no, and C.J. continued. "He told me he wished I was his son."

Her heart fluttered a little at first, but then it became mixed because the thought of one of her best friends and H...she shook her head from that thought before it moved further down the road, then cleared her throat and said with a small smile. "He did, did he?"

He nodded with a smile. "That would've been so cool."

Calleigh just nodded and speaks again as she stood up. "Please go get your things, so I can take you to Ashley's before I go to work."

C.J. nodded and ran out of the dinning room to go to his room.

Calleigh watched him for a second, then shook her head again, before cleaning up the table.

* * *

The moment Calleigh got to work it was a busy day, then before she knew it her work time was done and she was packing her things up, getting ready to leave the lab to pick up C.J.

She was standing in front of her desk when she heard a knock on her office door, then she turns around, smiles at Horatio and said. "Hi."

He smiles as he walked in her office. "Hi back. The day was so busy we barely had time to talk."

She nodded as he stopped in front of her, and the moment she looked into his eyes she couldn't help but remember what C.J. said this morning about how cool it would've been if Horatio was his father, then she looked down.

Horatio tilts his head and asked in concern. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him again and started saying. "It's just that...I uu..." She didn't know to bring up what she was thinking.

Horatio, thinking it was something else, asked. "You don't know where we go from here do you?"

She cleared her throat before replying. "Well actually...no I don't."

Even though that wasn't what she was thinking at that particular moment, it was something they did have to discuss. They may have had a few kisses, but if they were to progress to something further she would like to know where they stand, especially since C.J. is part of it.

Horatio nodded. "Ok, then I invite you to my house for dinner so we can talk about it."

She smiled, then loses it a second later, and responded. "I would love too, but after everything that happened to C.J. I don't want to leave him anywhere longer than nec..."

Knowing what Calleigh was trying to say, he cuts her off. "That's why he is also invited."

She smiled bigger and replied. "Really?"

He looks at her with tenderness as he replied. "Of course, after all this is about him too, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Ok, then I'll be expecting you at my place at six." She nodded and he took her hand, then he kissed it as he continued to look into her eyes. "Alight, I'll see you two later."

She nodded again. "Later."

After one more smile and kiss on her hand, he turned and walked away while Calleigh was watching him the whole time as her heart continued to flutter, she couldn't help but feel excited about tonight.

* * *

AN: Next Chapter: Dinner and confession on how they feel about each other. Excited again? Please review.


	16. Becoming official

AN: Thanks for the reviews, you've all been wonderful. Here is another moment I'm sure you've been waiting for, enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 16: Becoming official

At 6 O'clock there was a knock on Horatio's front door, so he walked to the doorway to the kitchen/dinning room and shouted. "Just a minute." Then he walked back to stove and turned the fire down. Once he was done he walked out of the kitchen, through the living room and right up to the front door, then he took a breath before opening it.

When the door was all the way opened he saw Calleigh and C.J. dressed very nicely, he smiled at them, looked at C.J. and said. "Nice suit buddy."

He was in a nice black suit, but no tie.

C.J. smiled. "Aunt Calleigh wanted us to look nice tonight."

Horatio nodded with a smile. "Well you definitely do, come in."

As they walked in, Horatio told C.J. that he could watch TV if it was ok with Calleigh, and when Calleigh gave her consent, C.J. did just that.

They watched him for a second, then he looked at her again and said. "You look absolutely beautiful."

She had on a long blue, thin strap dress that went down to her ankles, her hair was in an up-do and she had on a touch of make-up, which Horatio really thought she could have done without because he thought she would be beautiful either way.

Calleigh smiled and replied. "You don't look too bad yourself Handsome."

He had on a black suit and tie with dress shoes that went with it.

Horatio smiled at her comment as he took her coat, then he asked what they wanted to drink, and for the time being they both asked for water.

After he handed them their water, Horatio continued to cook the food, which Calleigh offered to help but Horatio politely declined.

10 minutes later they were finally sitting at his dinning room table eating and talking, and as the dinner progressed they couldn't help but notice C.J. was looking very tired.

Horatio smiled and speaks as he looks at her. "Am I ever going to have a meal with you two, where he doesn't get sleepy?"

Calleigh couldn't help but chuckle before speaking. "He was telling me that Ashley had a few friends over and they went to the park, it sounded like he had a very busy day. He was actually yawning a little in the car and I asked if he wanted to reschedule but he was too excited." Horatio nodded in understanding, then Calleigh continued. "I guess I should take him home now."

As she was getting ready to stand up, Horatio speaks. "Or you could let him sleep in my guest room." Calleigh looks at him a little shocked and he continued a little hurriedly. "Unless you want to leave of course, it's up to you."

They still needed to talk, which was the whole point of tonight, so Calleigh nodded. "Ok we can tuck him in your guest room."

He smiled and without even thinking about it, went to C.J.'s side of the table, kneeled down and said. "Buddy, we are going to put you down in my guest room ok?" C.J. just nodded and Horatio picks him up, then carries him down the hall to the guest bedroom.

Once he was tucked in, Horatio walked back to the living room, sat down in his seat and they finished their meal while doing small talk again.

When dinner and the dish's were done they walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch, and after taking a few sips of her wine, Calleigh looks over at him and said. "So C.J. told me something interesting this morning."

After Horatio took a sip from his wine, looks at her, tilts his head a little and asked. "What?"

"That you told him that you wish you were his father."

She looked down after she said that, and he took a moment before asking. "Is that what you were trying to ask me earlier at work?" She nodded while she was still looking down, then he continued after clearing his throat. "I think C.J. is an amazing little boy, he is everything I would want in a son."

Calleigh looked up at him and asked. "But?"

He cleared his throat again and replied. "But, and I don't mean any disrespect to your friend, I noticed she was a very beautiful woman from the pictures you have." Calleigh nodded as he continued. "But she isn't you, and the only way I would want him to be a biologic son is if we were in some alternate universe were you would be his biological mother." She gasped a little and he continued, clearly embarrassed by his own statement. "I don't mean to be forward or anything, I am just stating a fact." He looked down shyly and he was trying really hard not blush as red as the color of his hair.

Calleigh sat there a little shocked, not that he said what he did but the truthfulness of the last part of his statement, well least now she didn't have to think about her friend and Horatio together.

Calleigh shook her head from that thought, scooted closer to him, took his hand and said. "It was very sweet that you said that to him, it made him feel good and special, and I also think he likes you a little more for it." Horatio looked into her green eyes with a smile as she continued with a smile of her own. "And it was a sweet thing you said to me. I am completely flattered."

He smiles a little more. "So you're not going to run out the door screaming in the next few seconds?"

She chuckled while shaking her head. "No."

He sighed in relief. "Good, I didn't want to freak you out or anything."

She looked at him with confusion as she asked. "Why would it freak me out?"

He cleared his throat before replying. "Because you're so young and beautiful, and well I am 13 years older than you and I..."

Calleigh puts a finger to his lips to stop him right there. "Horatio when I look at you I don't see a man who is 13 years older than me, I see a man who is compassionate, generous, courageous, a man who would do anything for the people he cares about, including practically going across the country to save a boy that I couldn't possible live without, and love with everything that I got."

He cups her cheek to wipe her tears away and said in a whisper. "I love him too Calleigh."

She nodded. "I can see that you do."

He smiled again, and continued to let his heart do the talking. "We may have only met two months ago, but my heart feels like it's known you for years."

She smiled again. "Mine too." They look into each other's eyes as she continued. "What are we saying here?"

He smiled bigger, leans toward her forehead, kissed it and whispered against it. "I think we are saying we love each other."

He pulls back as she nods. "I think so too."

Both hearts were fluttering a little more when he continued. "But first I have to do the proper thing and ask you something."

"What is it?"

He took his hand off her cheek, took her wine glass and his and puts them on the coasters on the coffee table, then turned back toward her, took both of her hands in his, made sure they had eye contact, and asked. "Calleigh Duquesne, will you be my girlfriend?"

For a minute she thought he was going to propose, but then she thought that was crazy because they weren't official...yet.

She chuckled and replied. "Yes, I'll be your girlfriend, Horatio Caine."

He smiled again, leans toward her and kisses her on the lips, which she kisses him back immediately.

When they needed air they pulled back, then he kissed her forehead again and whispered. "I love you."

She sighed in content, pulled back, cups his cheek and replied while looking into his sparkling blue eyes. "I love you too."

After one more kiss they get comfortable on the couch, then she lays her head on his shoulder as he wraps his arm around her shoulders before kissing the top of her head. They just sat there comfortably, mostly in silence.

They didn't know how long they sat there, but when Calleigh started to yawn, she knew it was time to leave. But when she told him that, he shook his head and replied. "I don't feel comfortable you driving home when you're yawning so much, I think it would be safer if you stay here tonight."

"Here?" She asked a little shocked at the offer.

He nodded as he stood up from the couch, then held out his hand and said. "Yeah, I'll let you have my bed." She thinks about it for a minute, then nods as she took his hand.

After he helps her up they walk down the hall and stopped by the first door on the right so Calleigh could check on C.J., then they walked to the end of the hall to his bedroom. When they were in his room, she stood in the middle of it while he grabbed sweat pants and t-shirt from his dresser, and once he had them he walked over to her and pointed out where the bathroom was. She smiled while taking the clothes, then she walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

When she came out in his old NYPD t-shirt and sweat pants she noticed he was sitting at the edge of the bed in another pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, which he usually wears just boxers but since this was their first sleepover he wanted to be more presentable.

He looks at her as he gets up from the bed, then walks over to her, cups her cheek, leans down and kisses her softly, before pulling back and saying. "Sleep tight beautiful."

She thought she looked a little ridiculous without make-up and his sweat pants rolled up so they wouldn't fall, but looking into his eyes while he said that made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

She smiled as she replied. "You too handsome."

After one more kiss, he pulls back and started walking toward the bedroom door, but stopped when Calleigh speaks again. "Horatio?" He turns around and she continued. "You don't have to sleep on the couch."

"Really?" She nodded. "Ok."

As she walked to the right side of the bed, Horatio shuts the overhead light off, before walking to the left side of the bed while the lamps from the night stands were giving them light. After they pulled down the covers, Horatio slips in first, then looks over at her and she looked a little nervous, so he smiles while holding out his hand and saying. "It's ok Calleigh."

She nodded again. "I know, it's just been awhile since I even slept next to a man." She saw his face when she said that as she was getting in bed, then said. "Sorry, I don't think you wanted to hear that."

"Not particularly, but it's part of your past and we can't change it." Then he smiles again as he cups her cheek. "But no other man is here but me and you're absolutely safe here. We will not do anything you're not ready for, ok?" She nodded with tears in her eyes

He wipes them away, before kissing her on the cheek, then he pulls back and starts to lay down, she took a calming breath, before laying down next to him.

After they turned off the lamps they lay back down on their own side of the bed, then she turns her back toward him.

When a few seconds went by, he scoots closer to her and whispered. "Calleigh?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I hold you?"

She smiled as she replied. "Yeah."

He scoots even closer and from behind, wraps his arms around her waist as she places her hands over his.

After he kissed her cheek, he whispered again. "Is this ok?"

She nods and replied. "It's fine, Goodnight Handsome."

After one more kiss on the cheek he said goodnight back, then they closed their eyes and fell asleep with a smile on their faces, knowing they were about to have the best sleep they ever had.

* * *

AN: Hope you liked it. Next chapter: Calleigh and Horatio have a date night just the two of them, what could happen? Please review.


	17. Next Level

AN: Warning: Implied adult behavior. Thank you for the reviews. Here is the next chapter, enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 17: Next Level

Two months later

Ever since they became official on their first sleepover, Horatio, Calleigh and C.J. have all become inseparable. They did as many things as they could together, while also keeping their relationship outside of work, so no one knew, except Jesse but he's kept quiet about it. They haven't taken the next step yet, but they were falling for each other deeper than they thought possible.

It was now May, the weather was getting warmer by the day and more people were showing up on beaches, which at times like this Calleigh was happy that she decided to rent a house on the beach, so she didn't have to go very far if it got too crowed and she could always watch C.J. from the porch, which that's what she was doing when she felt two arms wrap around her from behind and received a kiss on the cheek.

She smiled, places her hands on top of his and said. "Hi Handsome."

After he kisses her on the cheek again, he whispered. "Hi beautiful." They both sighed in content then he continued. "It feels like I haven't seen you in hours."

Calleigh chuckles as she gets out of his arms, then as she walked to the patio table she replied. "You saw me 30 minutes ago."

She grabbed a pitcher of Lemonade and was pouring three glass when he replied after looking out for C.J. "Yes, but it's different when we are not in the lab."

She nodded in understanding, they may see each other at the lab everyday but their interactions are a lot different from when they are in each other's homes.

After pouring the glasses she places the pitcher and one of the glasses on the table, then she takes the other two glasses and walks a few steps to Horatio, who was now sitting down in the chair facing the beach so he could still keep an eye out on C.J., she hands him the glass and said. "Here you go."

He smiled at as grabbed the glass. "Thank you." She nodded with a smile, then he took her free hand and brings her closer to him, so she could sit in his lap.

When she was seated comfortably they sat there while enjoying their drink, listening to the laughter going on from the beach and just really enjoying each other's company.

After a few minutes of them being silent, Calleigh speaks. "So I've been thinking, how about a date night tomorrow?"

He nodded as he took a sip of his drink, then replied after he swallowed. "Ok, what do you have planned for the three of us?"

She moved sideways in his lap so she had a better view of his face and replied. "I was actually thinking just the two of us."

As much as she loved spending time with C.J. and Horatio together, they haven't spent much time just the two of them and she felt it was time.

He looked a little surprised, then asked with a small smile. "Really?" She nodded and he continued. "Ok, how about dinner and a movie at my place, it's quiet and..."

She cuts him off. "Romantic."

He smiled again with nod as she cups his cheek before leaning toward him and pecking him on the lips.

When they pulled back he asked. "So who is going to watch him?"

"Well since Ashley has a date night herself, I was thinking maybe someone from the team." He was a about to talk, but Calleigh continued. "I don't have to tell them I am going to be with you, I could say that I just need a night to myself. I'm sure they would understand."

He thinks about it for a second then nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right." She nodded again, and after one more kiss they sat in silence again with smiles on their faces, excited about their date night.

After awhile Calleigh and Horatio joined C.J. on the beach and had a wonderful time, and to any outside observer they could have been one happy family, which at times they felt like they were.

* * *

The next day

When shift was over, and after the team talked about the case they closed and it was silent for a few minutes, Calleigh cleared her throat and asked. "Hey guys, I was wondering if one you can watch C.J. tonight?"

Eric shook his head and said that he had a date, which has been happening a lot when he realized he had no shot with Calleigh.

Before Jesse could open his mouth, Natalia smiled and answered. "I would love to watch him for the night, is there a special reason?"

Calleigh and Horatio knew she was fishing for some dirt, but Calleigh wasn't falling for it. "I just need a little time to myself, you know how that is, right?" They nodded with a smile before Calleigh talked again. "Alright, thanks Natalia, I'll drop him at your apartment around 5:30."

Natalia nodded again. "That's fine."

They smiled at each other, then Horatio speaks after clearing his throat. "Ok everybody, we had a good day, now enjoy your evening and I'll see you tomorrow."

They all nodded as they got up from the chairs they were sitting in, then Natalia, Eric and Jesse left the room, leaving Calleigh and Horatio alone.

She looks at him and said with a smile. "I'll see you later."

He smiled back with a nod. "Ok."

After one more long look and smile, Calleigh left the room.

Horatio had the smile on his face a few seconds after she left, so when Alexx walked in she saw his look.

"Well, somebody seems happy."

Horatio nodded before replying. "Thank you, I am. Have a good evening Alexx."

Alexx nodded, and before he left the room, Alexx speaks again. "I am sure you will with Calleigh." Horatio stopped dead in his tracks, looked back at her a little shocked, she snickered before continuing. "I've noticed you two have gotten rather close these last two months." He was about to open his mouth, when she puts a hand up and talked again before he could. "I won't say anything, I promise. I am sure happy for you though."

Horatio smiled at her again. "Thanks again Alexx." Alexx nodded back at him before he turned and walked out of the room.

Alexx sighed, just like she did when Calleigh first came here, only this time it was a happy one, because she really believed he finally found his true happiness.

* * *

After Calleigh picked up C.J. from Ashley's, they went home so they both could pack their overnight bags, then she drove them to Natalia's house.  
When, and after she pulled in her apartment complex, they get out of the vehicle, walk to and in the building, then up to the fifth floor and apartment number 505.

After Calleigh knocked on the door, she kneels down in front of C.J. so she was eye level with him, and said. "I hope you have a good time tonight and be good."

He nodded and replied. "I will Aunt Calleigh."

She smiled as the apartment door opened, then puts her hand on his cheek and continued. "Ok, I'll come and get you in the morning and tomorrow after work we'll go to the movies like I promised."

"Just us right?"

He loved spending time with Horatio, but there were times when he wanted it like it use to be before he came into the picture.

Calleigh smiled, ran her hand up and down his cheek and replied. "Just us."

He nodded, moved closer to her, wrapped his arms around her neck and said. "I love you."

She wraps her arms around him. "I love you too." He pulls back, kisses her on the cheek.

She smiled at him at she stood up, then looked Natalia and said with the smile still on her face. "Thank you Natalia."

Natalia nodded. "No problem, I'll see you in the morning."

Calleigh nodded, and after one more goodbye, she walked away as C.J. went into the apartment.

* * *

When she made it to Horatio's house, they kissed softly in greeting at the door, then after dropping her stuff on the couch, they went to the kitchen and worked together making dinner.

As she was cutting up the vegetables for the salad, Horatio speaks. "So Yelnia called today."

She stopped cutting the vegetables, and as she was looking toward the stove, she asked. "Yeah, what did she say?"

He stirred the meat and sauce before looking at her. "She has agreed to allow Raymond Jr. to come with us to Disney World."

Since C.J. didn't get his trip, Horatio wanted to make it up to him.

Even though the boy didn't say anything about it, they could kind of tell that he was a little bummed, so they talked to him a few weeks ago about going during the summer and he was really excited, especially when he was allowed to ask a friend again.

She nodded, and as she goes back to her task, she replied. "That's great, least C.J. will have another kid to play with."

He nodded back, made sure everything was ok at the stove, then walked up behind her, wraps his arms around her waist, kissed her neck and asked. "So is Sara and Grissom coming along?"

She stopped cutting again, took a moment to let the feeling he was giving her come and go, then cleared her throat and replied. "They didn't want to intrude, but I told them that it would be fine, so they agreed to take the vacation time." He nods again before kissing her neck again.

She sets the knife down on the cutting board, turned around in his arms, wraps his arms around his neck and sighed in content. They look into each other's eyes, until he leans down and kisses her. She kisses him back and before they knew it, it grew passionate, but before they took it over the top, she slowed them down to little pecks before pulling away and putting her forehead against his, so they could catch their breath's.

When they could breathe again she whispered. "We better concentrate on making the food."

He pulls his forehead back, kisses her forehead, looked into her eyes and replied. "Yes ma'am. I'm sorry, sometimes I just can't help myself."

She smiles as she moves one arm from his neck and cups his cheek. "You don't have to apologize, sometimes I can't concentrate at work because you're always near me."

He chuckles, takes her hand from his cheek and kissed it. "You better get a handle on that or people will talk." He leans down, kisses her cheek, and as he walked back to the stove he continued. "I guess I should mention that besides Jesse, Alexx knows too." Calleigh gasped, and right when she was about to talk, he reassures her. "It's ok she won't tell anybody."

Calleigh nodded as she replied. "That's good." He nods back, but doesn't say anything.

A few minutes later, and as he was turning the fire off the stove, Calleigh speaks again. "Horatio?" He looks at her and she continued. "You know that I would tell the world about us right? That I am not ashamed of be..."

He cuts her off when he puts a finger to her lips, then replied. "I know sweetheart." Then he sighed before continuing. "I just hope I am not ruining your career, I would never do that intentionally." He looked down.

She uses a finger to lift his chin back up, then cups his cheek again. "You're not, and I know you wouldn't. We fell in love, it shouldn't be a crime. And when we are both ready to tell the world we should tell the higher-ups just that."

"I agree."

She smiled. "You do?"

"Yes, but we are in agreement we're not ready right? But I will if you are?"

She nodded, then replied. "I'm not."

"That's ok."

After another smile and a peck on the lips they finish their task on getting dinner done.

Once the spaghetti and salad was done, they put some on their plates, walked to the table and set their plates down, then after he helped her sit down, he poured the wine and sat down across from her.

He lifts up his glass, she mirrored his action, and as they clinked their glasses he said. "To a wonderful evening."

She smiled and repeated his words, then after they took a sip they set their glasses down on the table and started eating with small talk in-between bites.

* * *

When their dinner was done and the dishes were cleaned, they cuddled on the couch and watched a movie, and as the end credits were showing, Calleigh excuses herself and left the living room, walking down the hall toward the bedroom.

After ten minutes when she hadn't returned, he gets up from the couch, walked down the hall and stops at the closed bedroom door, then knocked and said. "Sweetheart, you want to watch another movie?"

The door opened and Horatio swallowed a little at the sight before his eyes, she was in a silk blue, thin strapped night-gown that went down to her knees with a smile on her face.

She takes his hand and said. "I was thinking we could do something else." She walks them into the middle of the room, then stops.

He wraps his arms around her waist as she wraps her arms around his neck, and he asked after clearing his throat. "Are you sure Calleigh?"

He honestly hadn't thought that tonight would go this far, maybe just sleeping in each other's arms but not like this. But if she was ready for them to move to the next level, he was on board. However, he would never force her or make her think this was the end game for tonight.

Calleigh nodded. "Yes, I'm ready to be yours in everyway. Are you ready to be mine?"

He smiles, leans down, pecks her on the lips, then speaks as his lips were still on hers. "Yes." He pulls back to look into her beautiful green eyes and continued with a smile. "But only if you're really sure."

She smiled bigger, got out his arms, held out her hand and replied. "I am."

He didn't need to be told a third time, so he walked up to her, took her hand, walked them to the left side of the bed and picked her up bridal style before laying her down. He gets on the bed and moves so he is above her, then he cups her cheek as he smiles down at her and said softly as his blue eyes gaze into her green ones. "You are so beautiful and I love you."

She cups his cheek, also replied softly. "I love you too."

After looking at each other for a few more seconds, he finally leans down and claims her lips with his.

* * *

Later that evening

With the blankets around each other, she was laying on his chest and they were both trying to catch their breath's.

When they finally did, he kissed the top of her head and whispered. "You ok?"

She smiles, pulled her head back so she was looking up at him and replied. "I am better than ok." She cups his cheek, ran her thumb up and down and continued. "Thank you handsome, it was everything I ever thought it would be, passionate, loving and tender."

He smiles back, reaches for her hand, kissed the top of it, and said looking into her eyes. "You're welcome." He watched her yawn, then he chuckled a little before continuing. "We better get some sleep."

She nodded, made sure the blankets were on her, reaches up, pecks him on the lips and said. "Love you, goodnight."

He pecks her back, before replying. "I love you too and sleep tight sweetheart."

After a third peck, she lays back down after turning on her side.

A few seconds later he moves so he was behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, she places her hands on top of his, and after kissing her temple he laid down, closes his eyes and fell asleep soon after. Calleigh falls asleep a second later.

And as they slept, they had smiles on their faces while dreaming about the perfect moments they shared tonight, which they planned on building from it as they move on to the future.

* * *

AN: Hope you liked it, and enjoying your weekend. A few more chapters left. Please review.


	18. Another step in their relationship

AN: Thank you for the kind reviews. Here is the next chapter, which I think you'll like. Enjoy!

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Chapter 18: Another step in their relationship

Two Months Later

Knowing there would be suspicion about both of them leaving for Disney World, a month ago Calleigh and Horatio informed the team and the higher-ups that they were a couple. The team was very happy for them, but the higher-ups weren't. They were thinking about splitting them up, but after keeping an eye on them for two weeks, Calleigh and Horatio proved they could work together without compromising their work, so they kept the team as is. They did tell them that eyes will be on them at all times, but they weren't worried because they were nothing but professional at the lab. There may be some casual smiles and winks but nothing to warrant splitting up over.

It was currently July 3 and the night before Horatio, Calleigh, Raymond Jr. and C.J. were going to Disney World, which Sara and Grissom were meeting them there.

And while Calleigh was outside enjoying the fresh air, Horatio was cooking inside, and C.J. and Raymond Jr. was in C.J.'s room.

After a few minutes C.J. walks in the kitchen to grab some juice boxes for him and Raymond Jr., then as he was walking back towards his room, Horatio asked. "C.J., can I talk to you for a minute?"

C.J. smiled, gets up on the bar stool and said. "Sure."

Horatio makes sure Calleigh was still sitting outside with the door shut, then he turned to the little boy, took a breath and asked him the question he's been thinking about for the past three weeks.

* * *

All through dinner, Calleigh felt the atmosphere around her had a very positive feeling, which was a good thing considering what happened four months ago, so she was in a good mood too. Once dinner was done, and as Horatio was tucking in the boys, Calleigh was in the kitchen cleaning up when her phone rang from the coffee table.

She walks over to it, picks it up and said her usual greeting. "Duquesne."

A few seconds later she hears an excited voice on the other end. "Calleigh, I'm engaged!"

Calleigh gasped. "Wow Sara, that's amazing."

"I know, I can't believe it. It may seem really fast, but I also know it feels right, you know."

Calleigh sits down on the couch and replied. "I know Sara, and it shouldn't matter what other people think. If you guys think that it's the right time for you to take that step then do it, you know I'll have your back, just as long as you're happy."

"Thank you Calleigh that really means a lot to me. The other reason I called is because I wanted to ask you to be my maid of honor."

"And I would be honored." They chuckled for a few seconds before Calleigh continued. "We'll go over some of the details during the week."

"That sounds like a plan." After a few moments pause Sara continued. "I should let you go so you can get some sleep, and I'll see you tomorrow evening."

"Yes you will, have a goodnight and congratulations."

"Thanks again and goodnight, bye."

"Bye."

As she was hanging up the phone with a smile for her friend, Horatio was walking in the living room from C.J.'s room.

When he saw the smile he asked. "What is it?"

Calleigh looked at him and replied. "Sara and Grissom are engaged."

He looked a little shocked and he asked. "Really?" Calleigh nodded, then Horatio continued as he sat down next to her. "It's only been four months."

"I know, but they've known each other almost two years now and the feelings that they had for each other, or at least I know on Sara's side, had been there from the very beginning. So when they got together they must have felt the need for marriage was in them sooner rather than later."

Horatio nodded in understanding, then asked. "What do you think of fast tracking to marriage?"

She pauses before she answered. "Well like I told Sara, if they feel it's right then I'm behind them. But for me personally, I would kind of like to take the steps a little slower."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Then she smiled while looking at him. "Why, you weren't going to propose were you?"

He shook his head "No."

"Ok, I'm kind of glad to hear that." Before he got the wrong idea, Calleigh cups his cheek and continued. "It's not that I don't want to marry you, I just don't want to get married now, I'm not..."

He cuts her off. "You're not ready, which is perfectly ok."

"Really? I'm not going to find a goodbye note on the nightstand tomorrow morning?"

He chuckled as he takes her hand off his cheek, then after he kissed the top of it, he looked into those beautiful green eyes. "And miss this trip, no way."

Calleigh smiled again. "Ok, I love you, you know that right?"

He cups her cheek this time as he replied. "I know you do and I love you too." After they peck each other on the lips he continued. "It really was just a question that I wanted to get your take on. Which you were being honest with me, and that's always ok in my book." She sees the truth in his eyes, then they lean toward each other and started kissing.

After a few minutes they pull back and put their foreheads together to control their breathing, then she whispered. "You ready for bed?"

"Yes."

She pulls back and said. "How about I meet you in the bedroom after I say goodnight to the boys."

He smiled and replied. "You got it."

She smiled again, then after one more peck on the lips, she gets up and walks out of the room, while Horatio watches with a smile.

He was kind of glad that the subject of marriage came up, because now he was a little more confident that what he'll ask Calleigh while they are in Disney World will be the right thing, he just hopes she will like it.

'I guess time will tell.' He thinks before taking a breath and getting off the couch to join Calleigh in her room, so they could get a goodnight's sleep for the drive tomorrow.

* * *

The next evening

After the household had gotten up the next morning, they had breakfast and stayed around the house until it hit noon, then they finally got on the road to head to Disney World, and after doing a few stops, they finally made it.

By the time they got to the hotel they were staying at, checked in and went to the room to unpack their things, Calleigh got a text message from Sara informing her that her and Grissom had made it.

She smiled when she got it, then said. "Horatio they're here."

"Alright, let's greet them."

After gathering the kids they went back to the lobby and searched through the crowed of people until they saw them in line with two couples in front of them, so they decided to stand there and let them come to them.

A few minutes later they see them walking towards the elevators and Calleigh says. "Sara Sidle!"

Sara looks around when she heard her name being called, then she smiled when she spotted Calleigh, Horatio and the boys, and started walking up to them.

When they were closer to one another they get into a big hug, then when they pulled back Calleigh said. "Can I see it?"

Sara chuckled as she held out her left hand so Calleigh could see the ring, it was a simple 3-caret diamond ring, but Calleigh knew it wasn't about the flash of it, it was about the guy she was marrying that mattered to her. Which she would have felt the same way.

Calleigh smiled and said. "It's beautiful."

"Thank you."

Calleigh nodded and looked at Grissom. "I better hear that you treat my girl right."

Grissom smiled as he puts his arms around Sara's shoulder's and replied. "You can count it. I mean it Calleigh, I won't hurt her."

"Alright, I'll hold you to that." Grissom nodded with another smile.

After the rest of the group was greeted they got into the elevators and rode them up to their floor, which Sara and Grissom were on the same floor.

* * *

When Sara and Grissom were unpacked and they were back in the lobby of the hotel, Calleigh suggested the guys can take the boys, so her and Sara can spend a little time to do 'girl' talk.

Horatio looked at Grissom and he nodded, then as he as about talk, C.J. speaks while looking up at Calleigh. "Why don't you want to come?"

Calleigh bends down so she was eye level with the little boy and gave him a smile. "Do you know how you feel when you don't see your friends during summer vacations?"

"I miss them."

"Exactly. Well I miss seeing Sara and I want to spend a little time with just her, but I promise the rest of the vacation has our name written all over it."

His eyes lit up and asked. "Promise?"

Calleigh smiled again and replied. "I promise, you and Raymond Jr. have fun and I'll see you later, ok?"

C.J. nodded as he hugged her and said. "Ok, Love you."

She wraps her arms around him and replied. "I love you too."

After they pulled back C.J. kisses his Aunt on the cheek, then she stands up, takes a step toward Horatio and cups his cheek. "You have fun too."

"Ok, I love you sweetheart."

"I love you too."

They peck each other on the lips.

When she pulls away and turns around, she saw Grissom and Sara sharing a sweet goodbye themselves.

Grissom said. "Love you honey."

Sara replied. "Love you too babe."

Then they peck each other on the lips.

After they pulled back, the men started walking away as Sara and Calleigh watched them.

Once they couldn't see them anymore they started walking outside to look at the scenery and talk.

After awhile they sat down on one of the bench's and Calleigh asked. "So I have to ask, was his proposal a pressure thing?"

Sara shook her head and replied. "Absolutely not. Before I accepted I asked him about the shortness of us being together, he said that I can wait as long as I wanted. He just wanted to let me know that I was part of his future and that he wasn't backing out of our commitment."

"Sara I think you found yourself a keeper and you look so happy."

"I did find myself a keeper and I am happier than I have ever been in my life. He's a great guy and I hope you get to know him a little more on this trip."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Sara smiled and replied. "And I'm looking forward to getting to know your man a little more." Calleigh smiled with a nod as Sara continued. "So when is it Horatio's turn to propose?"

Calleigh chuckled a little. "Not for a while, we taking the scenic route."

"Does he know this?"

"Yes, we talked about it last night and I told him I wasn't ready."

"And he was ok with it?"

"Yeah he was very understanding."

"That's good to hear, I think you got yourself a keeper too."

Calleigh nodded with a smile, then after a few minutes they got up and started walking again, happy for each other.

* * *

A week later

The group had spent a wonderful week together, riding ridges, meeting Disney characters, winning a few stuff animals, and the important thing was that there was a lot of laughing and smiling going on.

Before they knew it though, it was the last night before everybody had to head home, and as a special request Horatio asked Calleigh out on a date while Sara and Grissom were watching the boys. Calleigh was a little worried about C.J.'s reaction because she had promised that the rest of the vacation was their time too, but was happy when all he did was give her a hug, a kiss on the cheek and told her to have fun, which she responded that she would.

Now Calleigh and Horatio where in a booth in a secluded part of the restaurant sitting close together and talking.

When the wine came, and after he took a sip and swallowed, he looked at Calleigh and asked. "I was wondering if I can ask you something?"

Calleigh smiled as she cups his cheek. "Of course, what is it?"

Horatio took her hand off his cheek, kissed before looking into her eyes and asking. "Calleigh will you..."

Calleigh cuts him off as she got big eyes. "Horatio you know I'm not..."

He cuts her off. "Move in with me."

She took a moment before asking. "Move in with you?"

He nodded with a smile. "Yes. I want to have breakfast, dinner and sometimes lunch everyday with you and C.J., I want to get that butterfly feeling in my stomach when I'm driving home because I know you and C.J. will be there, either before or after me, and most of all I want to fall asleep and wake up every morning and night with you in my arms. I'm hoping you want the same."

Calleigh's eyes were tearing up as she replied. "Oh Horatio, nothing would make me happier than to do all those things with you, but I have C.J. to think about and I need to talk to him before I can give you my answer."

Horatio shook his head as he wiped some of her tears away. "That won't be a problem." Calleigh was about to talk, but Horatio continued. "I talked to him last night and he approved it."

She was shocked, not that C.J. accepted but that Horatio had asked his permission. "You did?"

Horatio smiled that smile she loved. "Of course, anything that happens has to be ok with the man of house, I understand that and I wouldn't have asked you without asking him first."

Calleigh cups his cheek again as she speaks. "I can't believe you would do that, that's very sweet. I would like to talk to him again about this, but my answer is yes."

Horatio's face lit up. "Yes?"

Calleigh nodded with a chuckle. "Yes."

They smiled at each other as they kissed lightly, then when they pulled back, he brings her in his arms. "What a wonderful ending to a beautiful trip."

She sighed in content and replied. "I whole heartedly agree."

After a few minutes they pull out of each other's arms, then looked into each other's eyes as she asked. "What if he would have said no?"

He took a breath and replied. "Well then I guess I would've had to prove to him a little harder that I was the right one for you guys."

Horatio knew if that had been the case it was because C.J. was trying to protect his Aunt from being hurt and he would've understood that.

Then he smiled and talked again before she could respond. "I got to tell you though I'm glad he said it was ok. I did have to promise that he could have a superhero themed room."

Calleigh chuckled and replied. "That sounds like C.J.." Then she cups his cheek again as she continued. "I am also glad that he said it was ok, because I couldn't imagine him saying yes to anybody but you." She sighed in content before finishing. "I can't wait till we start this next chapter in our lives."

He puts his hand on top of hers as he speaks. "I can't either, I love you sweetheart."

"I love you too handsome."

They kiss again, this one had a little more to it, but still respectable in a restaurant.

By the time they pulled back, their food was on the table, so they started to eat, but they couldn't help but look up at each other and smile every once in a while.

They couldn't wait to get back home so they could plan on what they were going to do, whether it was getting a new place for them or her moving into his place that he has now. But all that will be discussed later, right now they were enjoying this moment, happy another step has been taken to ensure their future.

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AN: Like their new step? Three more chapters to go. Please review.


	19. Found out the truth

AN: Warning: Implied adult behavior. The first part of the chapter is a little sad, but I think you'll like the ending of it, enjoy. Thanks for the reviews.

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Chapter 19: Found out the truth

Three Months later

As Calleigh was walking out of the bathroom, C.J. said. "Can you help with my tie, Aunt Calleigh?"

Calleigh smiled and replied. "Sure buddy." She walked up to him, kneeled down and started tying his tie.

It has been two years since C.J. lost his mother and Calleigh her best friend, so they came back to New Orleans earlier this morning and now they were getting ready at a hotel to go to her tombstone and put flowers on her grave, just like she had promised C.J. that they would do every year.

After she was done he took a step back and asked. "How do I look?"

Calleigh smiled again. "Very Handsome."

"Thank you."

Just as she nodded the hotel door opened and in came Horatio with a bouquet of sunflowers, then he smiled at C.J. and asked. "You said sunflowers right?"

C.J. smiled at Horatio as the older man shut the door, then said. "Yeah, they were my mom's favorite."

"Alright, here you go buddy, take care of them."

As he took them from his hand he replied. "I will." Then he turned and walked to bed to get his jacket.

When C.J. had walked away, Horatio looked at Calleigh and said. "You look beautiful, sweetheart."

Like C.J., Calleigh was equally wearing nice clothes, her outfit was a light blue dress that went down to her ankles.

She cups his cheek. "Thank you and not to bad yourself, Handsome."

He was wearing his traditional clothes, so it wasn't nothing to special or at least that's what he thought. But he always get's compliments from Calleigh, so she must feel that he looks nice all the time.

They peck each other on the lips, then Calleigh looks at C.J. and asked. "You ready?"

C.J. nodded. "I am."

Horatio speaks next. "Alright let's head out."

After he opens the door, the three of them walked out to go honor a mother/friend.

* * *

When they got there 5 minutes later, they got out of the vehicle and walked to the correct tombstone, and once they were close to it, Calleigh and Horatio stood back so C.J. could have a moment alone.

He took a breath as he placed the sunflowers in front of his mother's tombstone, then said. "Hi mommy, we got you some sunflowers, I hope you still like them. I'm doing really well in school and I have a few very nice friends." His eyes started to tear up when he continued. "I miss you so much and I wish you were here, but Aunt Calleigh has been doing a good job with me and Horatio is a good man." He paused again before talking about his new life in Miami.

After a few minutes he looks back at Calleigh and said. "You can speak now, Aunt Calleigh." She nodded as she walked up to him.

After wiping his tears away he walked over to Horatio and stood next to his side as Calleigh looked at them, then she looked back at the tombstone, took a breath and said. "Hi Christy, I can't believe it's been two years since we've lost you. I'm sorry that I could only make time to come here today, but since we've moved it's a little harder getting here, so I hope you understand. I guess C.J. has told you about Horatio, he is a great man and he is wonderful to your son, so you don't have to worry about him or me." Calleigh cleared her throat and continued. "And there is something else you don't have worry about, I don't hate you Christy and I forgive you, yes I know that you remembered who the father of C.J. was, I found your letter." Right as she said that she had a flashback on how she found it.

_Flashback_

_(2 weeks after Horatio asked Calleigh to move in with him)_

_Calleigh was halfway done being packed, and her next mission was the shelf above the hangers in her closet. The good thing was that area wasn't to big so it shouldn't take her very long to go through the stuff up there, but she still sighed as she brought down the boxes, which some had books in them, others had older clothes and the rest of them had various items that she never unpacked._

_After dealing with the various items and the clothes box, which most of that stuff she either threw away or put in a pile to take to the goodwill or some homeless shelter since they would have more use for it than she would, then she looked at the two boxes of books before opening them and taking them out just to see if she was still interested._

_When she was done taking them out she looked at the various titles before putting them in the keep pile or the give away pile, then when she came to the second to last book it made her pause, this one wasn't a book, it was Christy's journal._

_When she was going through Christy's stuff after she died that was first thing she was going to save, not because she wanted to read it, but because she wanted to save it for C.J. for when he got a little older. From the moment Christy found out she was pregnant she wrote in it, mostly how she was feeling that day. She had told Calleigh one night that she wanted C.J. to have this so he would know exactly how much he had meant to her, which she just nodded with a smile when she told her that because she thought Christy would be able to tell him herself._

_Calleigh did a small smiled as she thought of that, then as she was putting it in the keep pile a white envelope fell from the first page of the journal. She looked down at it, picked it up and read the front of it :To Calleigh_

_Curious, she scooted back on her bed so her back was to the headboard, then she opened the sealed envelope. After opening it, she pulled out a letter, unfolded it and started to read it._

_October 16, 1998_

_(She gasped after reading the date, because this was written a week before Christy had died. After clearing her throat, she continued to read it.)_

_Hi Calleigh, I know it seems silly to be writing you a letter when I can just pick up the phone and talk to you or come over, but I don't know how to tell you this and I'm afraid on how you'll react. Plus you know I'm better at writing out my feelings, so here I go._

_When I found out I was pregnant, I told you I didn't know who the father was, which I swear I didn't or wasn't really interested in finding out. But I have to tell you the truth, my memory from that night has been slowly coming back to me. I would have just told you when it started happening, but there is a reason why I haven't. I believe more now than ever that the father of my son is your boyfriend Kevin, I'm so sorry._

_After you introduced us I felt like I had known him from somewhere but I couldn't remember where. Then the memories started coming back a few weeks ago, not about him at first, just the replay of the events before it happened. I don't remember what he did or said that trigged that memory of him, I just know it happened like flash and it all came back to me. I don't think he still remembers though because he's been around my son countless times by now and he hasn't said anything about it._

_Again I am sorry that it is Kevin, I hope you don't hate me for what happened. I know there was no cheating going on because you two hadn't met yet, but I still feel awful._

_I know I might be asking too much, but I was hoping you can be with me when I tell him, I mean he has to know, right?_

_Anyways you are my best friend and I never wanted to hurt you like this, so please find it in your heart to forgive me._

_Your Loving Sister/Best friend for life,_

_Christy_

_By the time Calleigh got to the end of the letter she had tears in her eyes, and that's what Horatio walked in the room and saw, which he wasted no time getting to her side._

_He kissed her temple and asked. "What's wrong sweetheart?"_

_She sniffled as she replied. "She died thinking I might have hated her if she'd told me that Kevin was C.J.'s father."_

_He looked at her shocked. "She knew?"_

_She nodded. "But only about a few weeks before she died, her memory started coming back." After he kissed her temple again she continued. "I wouldn't have hated her. It might have felt a little weird and I wouldn't know exactly how I would have dealt with it, but I wouldn't have hated her because it happened before him and I met."_

_Horatio nodded. "I know sweetheart, I know."_

_After a few minutes of sobbing lightly, she sniffled as she said. "I wish she was here so I could tell her."_

_He pulled back a little so he could wipe her tears away, then replied. "Why don't you tell her when we go to New Orleans. I know it won't be the same as if she was here hearing it, but..."_

_Calleigh cuts him off. "Yeah I understand and I will. If someway she could hear that I don't hate her then maybe she'll be in peace."_

_He smiled with a nod, then after wiping the rest of her tears way he asked. "You ok?"_

_She cleared her throat, nodded and replied. "As good as I can be at this moment. Thank you."_

_He cups her cheek. "No need to thank me, I'm here through every bad day you get. Which I'm sure we are bound to run into those a few times while we are living together won't we?"_

_She nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, you're right."_

_He smiled, leans forward and pecks her on the lips, then pulls back and asked something else. "Do you need anything?"_

_She shook her head. "Just hold me."_

_"No problem."_

_Once he got comfortable on her bed, well the best he could do with the books and boxes still in the way, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she laid her head on his chest._

_After he kissed her on the top of her head he asked. "Can I ask you something?"_

_"Of course."_

_"If you had gotten that letter or if she would have told you before she died and Kevin ended up raising C.J., would you have stayed with him?"_

_She sighed and replied. "If I would have stayed with him, then it would only be because of C.J." She leans back as he looked down at her, then she continued. "I stopped really loving him awhile ago, and I'm sure that Sara told you this when you were asking her questions, but I don't think we would have lasted much longer anyways." He nodded as she speaks again. "So to answer your question, I would have walked away eventually, no matter how much it would hurt me to walk away from that little boy." She took a breath and finished. "I'm just glad that I didn't have to, because I couldn't imagine him not in my life anymore."_

_He kissed her forehead and replied. "You never have to imagine it now, you have him and me."_

_She smiled as she respond to that. "And I am extremely happy about that, I love you."_

_He smiled back before he replied. "Love you too, sweetheart."_

_After one more kiss on the forehead she rested her head back on his chest, sighed in content and just laid in his arms feeling safe and protected as she rethought about the letter she just read, and knowing in her heart she would have never hated Christy if she would have told her the truth._

_End of Flashback_

When she came back to the present she cleared her throat again and finished. "We'll be back, I promise, and hopefully sooner than another year, but we'll see. Rest in peace Christy, and I hope you continue to look down at us with a smile. Bye." She wiped her tears away before she turned and walked back to Horatio and C.J.

Once she got there, C.J. went back to her mother's tombstone and said his goodbyes while Horatio wrapped his arms around Calleigh's shoulder and kissed her temple, then when C.J. came back to them he said sadly. "I'm ready, and can we just go and stay in the hotel?"

Calleigh nodded, puts her hand on his shoulder and replied. "Yes, let's go." She had felt the same thing, and somehow knew he wouldn't want to do anything after seeing his mom and that's why they had planned to stay a few days, so he would be up to seeing other people he had missed since they moved to Miami, which included her parents, but her mother was going to be the only one they'll be able to see since her father was out of town again on some business trip.

After C.J. took her hand, the three of them went back to the vehicle, got in and Horatio drove them back to the hotel, where they stayed in there most of the day, cuddled up in the bed and relieving some memories of a great mother/friend.

* * *

The next day after getting up, they went out of the hotel and visited Calleigh's mother for a while, so Horatio can finally met her. Then after dinner, C.J. went to a friend's house to spend the night since he hadn't seen him since they moved to Miami.

When they got back to the hotel, Horatio opened the door and Calleigh walked in, then after Horatio shuts it, she turned to him and said. "I'm sorry about my mother."

Horatio shook his head as he sets the room key on the dresser, then walked up to her and said. "It's a mother's job to ask questions."

From the moment they got into the house her mother was a non-stop asking machine, which some the questions were quite embarrassing. It also seemed like she couldn't get over the fact that they were 13 years apart in age.

Calleigh shook her head and replied. "I know, but seriously you are welcome to walk away and I'll understand." Then she walks to the end of the bed and sat down.

Horatio chuckled as he walked up to her, then kneeled down in front of her, puts his hands on top of her wrists and replied. "I don't plan on going anywhere unless you are with me." She smiled as she removed one of her hands out from under his and cups his cheek, then something in his eyes changed and she was about to ask when he took her hand off his cheek, held it and said. "In fact I don't ever want us to be apart, Calleigh Duquesne will you marry me?"

Right as he said that Calleigh gasped and he mentally gasped for saying it now.

When they moved in together it didn't take him very long to feel that marrying her was the right thing for him to do, and to see her so worried tonight about how he felt for her after meeting her mom he wanted to prove to her that he sees a future with her and no one was going to scare him away, he just didn't expect to blurt it out tonight and in this hotel room.

After a few seconds of silence, except for his pounding heart, Horatio continued. "I'm sorry Calleigh, I should have picked a more romantic time or spot to spring this up, and I'm sure that you need more than 3 months of living together before you feel that you're ready, so forget that I said th..."

Calleigh cuts him off. "No."

Horatio frowned and said. "No?"

Calleigh smiled, pushed on his shoulders a little so he would move back, then she gets off the bed, kneels in front of him, cups both of his cheek and replied. "Not no to the proposal, but forgetting about you saying it."

Horatio gets a more happy look on his face and asked. "You mean.."

He trials off as she shakes her head with a laugh. "Yes, I'll marry you."

"You sure Calleigh, because I can wait for another time to propose."

She shook her head. "No, you don't need to wait. I've been thinking about this for a few months now and it feels right, in fact besides taking in C.J., this fells like the best move in my life."

Horatio smiled bigger. "Alright it looks like we're getting married."

She smiled bigger too. "Yes it does..." then she stops and said. "Wait! C.J., we have..."

Horatio cuts her off. "We don't need to."

She raised an eyebrow and asked. "Why? did you talk to him again?"

Horatio shook his head. "Actually he came to me asking what my intentions were."

Calleigh removed one of her hands from his cheek and puts it up to her mouth and said, shocked. "He didn't?"

"He did."

"Wow, that is one wonderful boy."

Horatio nodded and replied. "He really is. I told him I'll give you a few months till I pop the question, so I did, but I'm still sorry that I asked you like this, I could have done it better."

Calleigh shook her head as she cupped his cheek again. "I don't care where you do it or how you do it, as long as the words are true."

Horatio looks right into her green eyes and replied. "Calleigh I love you and nothing in this world will make me happier than to have you and C.J. become my family. I've really been wanting this for a while, but I knew that I had to take things slow for everybody's sake and I'm glad that we formed a stronger bond before I did this."

She started to have tears in her eyes as he cups her cheek and wipes them away, then she speaks while looking into his blue eyes. "I love you too Horatio, and I think you picked a perfect time, now I just can't wait to become your wife."

They smiled at each other as they lean toward one another, then their lips touched, which at first it was light, then it grew passionate.

They pulled back breathing heavily, then he stood up and held out his hand.

She looked up at him, smiled as she took his hand, then he helped her up.

Once she was on her feet they look into each other's eyes again and she nodded, he smiled back, cups her cheek again before giving her another kiss as they move to the bed.

When the back of her knees hit the end of the bed they pulled back, then she moves her hands to the front of his shirt and starred unbuttoning them before sliding it off his shoulders. She ran her hands up his bare chest before cupping his cheek and kissing him again.

After that kiss they became so lost into one another that the next thing they knew they were under the covers and getting lost in the passion and love they have for one another.

* * *

Later that evening

As they were laying under the covers in each other's arms, he picks up her left hand and traces his finger on her bare ring finger. "I can't believe I proposed without getting the ring first, I feel like I really botched this up."

Calleigh chuckled and replied. "You didn't handsome. Like I said as long as the words are true, nothing else matters."

Horatio smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "Well it would be nice for you to have an outward symbol so everybody knows that you've found a man that's going to love you for the rest of your life."

After making sure the sheets were around her she moved so her arm and chest was on his chest, then she looked at him and spoke with a smile. "You mean you want to show other guys that I'm taken."

He chuckles as he ran his hand up and down her back. "Well that's part of it."

She moved up so now her lips where inches from his as she replied. "Oh, I didn't know you could be so possessive."

He chuckles again before he kissed her, then surprised her when he moved her so she was now on her back again and he was above.

After a few pecks, he pulls back and looks down at her. "Not overly possessive that you feel trapped or anything. I don't want you to ever feel like I own you, I just..."

She cuts him off when she places her finger to his lips. "I know what you mean and I know you're not like that. But I promise you that whether I have a ring on my finger or not, I'm 100% committed to you and no man will ever get close to me as you have. In my heart, body and soul, I'm yours." She brings his lips back down to hers and pecks him on the lips again, then pulls back and continued. "Besides the ring issue can be fixed in no time, we can leave right now and get one."

"Or we could do a little more of this." He leans back down and kisses her.

After they pulled back, she breathed. "Yeah, later sounds good, I like this option better."

He chuckles and before they once again got lost into each other, he says truthfully. "I love you Calleigh and I just want you to have everything you ever wanted."

She cups his cheek and runs her thumb up and down. "As long at I have you and C.J. then that's all I ever want and I love you too." As she brings him back down to her she continued. "Now were we."

When his lips touched hers again no more words were said between them, their actions spoke louder than words.

* * *

AN: I wanted to do something a little different, so I hope you liked it. We are down to two more chapters. Please review.


	20. The Big Day

AN: Thanks for the reviews. Here is the next chapter, enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 20: The Big day

Eight months later

It's been a year and three months since they've become a couple and 8 months since he proposed. Now the day that they've all been waiting for had finally arrived. They were thinking about a short engagement, but Calleigh really wanted to get married in the summer so Horatio said what the bride wanted that's what she got.

Since it was going to be on the beach, right outside of their place that they bought when they moved in together, Calleigh was in the room with the girls, Natalia, Alexx, Ashley and Sara, getting ready.

After they did the final touches, everybody left but Sara.

She smiled at her best friend and said. "Calleigh you look so beautiful, Horatio is going to love you even more."

Calleigh smiled at her best friend and replied. "Thank you, Sara." Then she looked at herself in the mirror.

She was wearing the traditional white dress, which was thin strapped, a little low-cut but not enough to make her uncomfortable, it went just below her knees and her hair was in long curls with a small touch of makeup.

After a few seconds of silence, Sara cleared her throat and said. "I'm very happy for you Calleigh, I hope you have a wonderful life with him and C.J."

Calleigh looked over at her friend. "I know I will."

"Any chances of more kids?"

Calleigh nodded. "We talked about it a few months ago and agreed we are open to the idea, but nothing has been decided and we want to talk to C.J. about it, just so he will know that nothing changes how we feel about him." Sara nodded in understanding, then Calleigh took a breath and continued to talk while looking back into the mirror. "Man is it alright to feel that this the right thing to do, but be nervous at the same time."

Sara chuckled as she replied. "Of course, do you remember my wedding?"

Sara and Grissom have been married 5 months now and she had been a nervous wreck that whole day.

Calleigh nodded with a chuckle of her own. "Yes, I do remember." She looked over at her friend again and asked. "But no regrets?"

Sara shook her head. "Not one. I trusted the love I had for Grissom and we're as solid as can be." Calleigh nodded as Sara continued. "Cal, I know that when you see your parents have a rough marriage you immediately think that's what's going to happen to you when you grow up and get married. But that doesn't mean it's going to happen because once you're married it's up to you and your partner to make it work, yeah sometimes you can work your tail off and it still ends, but there are other marriages that have survived the storm and come out stronger than ever. And I believe you and Horatio are one of those couples that's going to make a marriage work no matter what comes your way."

Calleigh took another breath, then smiled before saying. "Thanks again Sara, your words mean a lot to me. How did you know I was feeling like that?"

"Because I felt the same way." Calleigh was going to open her mouth, but Sara continued before she could. "I just hid it, but this isn't about me, this is your day."

Calleigh didn't know much about Sara's childhood, except that she was in foster care, which it really didn't matter what background she had, she was still one of her best friends.

"Ok, but any other day you can talk to me, you know that, right?"

"I know Cal."

"Alright."

After a few moment's pause Sara asked. "You ready?"

"Yeah, but can you get C.J.? I want to talk to him alone for a minute."

"You got it."

Calleigh nodded with a smile as Sara walked out of the bedroom.

When it was just her in the room, she looked in the mirror one more time before walking over to the bed, where her bouquet laid. She looked down and smiled at it as there was a knock on the door, then she turned around to the door and said. "Come in."

A few seconds later Calleigh sees a now 8-year-old C.J. walking in the doorway wearing a tux with his hair a little spiked, he looked so cute.

As she looked at him standing there she couldn't help but think he's grown up so fast, she smiles at him and said. "Can you come in here for a minute?"  
He nodded as he walked in the room, then after he shuts the door he walks over to the bed.

When he sits on the end of it, she sits down next to him, puts her hand over his and said. "I just want to make sure that you're ok with me marrying Horatio and us starting a new life with him."

"I am, I really like him and I know he's a good person." Then he smiles bigger and said. "Now I can't wait for me to have his name too."

Calleigh smiled as she thought about that conversation and the event's that lead to that particular conversation.

_Flashback_

_2 months ago_

_Horatio stopped the vehicle in the parking lot of the prison in New Orleans, then looked Calleigh and asked. "You sure you want to do this?"_

_Calleigh sighed, looked at him and asked. "You want to adopt C.J. right?"_

_After Kevin was convicted of his crimes, he was transferred to New Orleans because they felt that he was a threat to them if he stayed in Miami, and they were here to pay a visit to him to talk to him about something._

_He smiled that soft smile and replied. "You know I do."_

_"Then I need to be sure that his rights are signed to us, so yes I'm sure."_

_He nodded and replied. "Ok, let's go."_

_She squeezed his hand, then before she released his hand she said. "Thank you for coming with me."_

_"There is nowhere else I would rather be."_

_After they leaned toward each other they kissed, then got out of the vehicle and headed for the entrance._

_By the time they got to the Visiting area a guard was escorting Kevin to the table._

_As he was hand cuffing a long, dark haired, bearded Kevin, he saw who his visitors was and said. "What do I owe to this visit?"_

_Calleigh didn't say anything until she grabbed the papers from her purse, unfolded them and sets them down in front of him. "I want you to sign away your rights to C.J."_

_"Why?"_

_"Horatio and I are getting married in two months and we want to start the process of getting him adopted in his name, and because you're the father you still have rights."_

_He smiled and asked. "Let me get this straight you want me to sign away my rights, so you can have it all? What do I get?"_

_Calleigh looks at Horatio and he nodded, then she looked back at him and said. "A reduced sentence, providing you get a tacking device on your ankle and you stay away from Miami and Las Vegas. We already have restraining orders made from Sara and Myself when you get out. So if you don't abide by this, then you'll be put back into prison so fast it will make your head spin."_

_Kevin thinks about this, then asked softly. "Will I ever get see him?"_

_Calleigh hadn't seen this softer side of him in years and answered his question truthfully. "Right now he doesn't want to and I'm not going to make him, but when he gets older and if he changes his mind, we'll see. That's all I can offer on his side."_

_Kevin picked up the papers, looked them over, looked up at her and said. "Ok, I'll do it."_

_Calleigh nodded and handed him a pen, which they watched him carefully just incase he wanted to use it as a weapon, but he just puts the pen on the paper and signed on the appropriate lines, then when he was done he sets the pen down and moves his hands away from it._

_As Calleigh reached for the pen and paper, she said. "Thank you Kevin." She paused then asked. "I do have one more question for you." He looked at her and she continued. "When did you remember that night you had with Christy?"_

_He cleared his throat and said. "After I developed the first set a of pictures and really looked at C.J.'s face, I thought I recognized that smile and memories of that night started coming back to me. I swear I didn't know until then." He looked into her eyes as he said the last part softly. "Or else I would have done things a lot different. __I'm sorry Calleigh for everything I did, including how I broke up with you. I was stupid and immature."_

_Calleigh just nodded and replied. "Yeah you were and unfortunately you can't undo them."_

_Then as Calleigh and Horatio started walking Kevin said. "Tell C.J. that his uncle said hi."_

_He figured that if he said 'dad' then he probably wouldn't appreciate it._

_As the guard was hand cuffing him, Calleigh stopped, which made Horatio stop and look at her, she opened her purse and pulled out the most recent school picture of C.J., then she turned back around and said. "Guard Wait!"_

_The guard and Kevin stopped as Calleigh walked up to him and said. "Here." The guard was going to take it, but Calleigh said. "It's just a photo, what can he do with a photo?"_

_The guard paused then nodded his head in acceptance, Kevin looks at Calleigh and she nodded while still holding out the photo to him._

_He took it, then when he looked at it he smiled and said. "He's gotten a little bigger." He looked at Calleigh and replied. "Thank you."_

_Calleigh just nodded, then turned and walked back to her fiancé as the guard continued to take Kevin away._

_When they got back into the vehicle, he looked over at her and asked. "Do you think he'll follow the rules?"_

_She nodded, looked at him and replied. "You know, I have a feeling he will."_

_"Well he better that's all I have to say, because if he comes near you or C.J. again, he'll wish he didn't."_

_She gave him a smile. "Our own protector huh?"_

_He smiled, cups her cheek and replied. "Always, I know you can take care of yourself, but extra protection never hurt anybody."_

_"Especially when it comes from you."_

_They smiled before they lean toward each other and pecked on the lips, then after they pull back he starts the vehicle and starts driving while she looked out the window, thinking. Before they walked into the prison she thought when saw Kevin today anger would be coursing through her, but seeing the softer side of him made her feel a little softer, that's why she gave him a picture. Now she just hopes he could take this second chance and get his life in order._

* * *

_Later that night_

_After picking C.J. up at a friend's house and having dinner with her dad, they were back in the hotel and sat C.J. down on the bed, wanting to talk to him, which he thought he did something bad, so he was looking down at his hands._

_Calleigh smiled, puts her hands on top of his and said. "Buddy, you did nothing wrong, I promise." He looked up at her as she continued after clearing her throat. "There was a reason why we came here this weekend and it wasn't only to visit your mom or my parents. Horatio and I went to talk to your dad."_  
_They saw the scared look on his face, so Calleigh hurried up and explained. "It's ok he's not coming to get you, you're safe with us."_

_He nodded, then asked. "Why did you have to talk to him?"_

_Horatio smiled and answered his question. "Basically so I can adopt you, so you can have my last name just like Calleigh will when we get married, are you ok with that?"_

_He thinks about it then asked with a small frown. "What about my mom's name?"_

_Calleigh smiled this time and replied. "You'll have both of their names."_

_C.J.'s face lit up and said. "Really, I can have both?"_

_Calleigh responded again. "Yes."_

_"Then I'm ok with it." He gets off the bed, walks to Horatio, and as he gives him a hug he said. "Thank you."_

_Horatio holds him to him and replied. "You're so welcome buddy."_

_A few minutes later Calleigh joins in the hug, all three happy their new start was coming together. _

_End of Flashback_

The sound of C.J.'s voice brought her back to the present. "You ok Aunt Calleigh?"

Calleigh cleared her throat and replied. "I'm perfect." Then she smiled and continued. "I love you C.J. and I don't ever want you to forget that."

"I won't and I love you too."

After they hug, she kissed his cheek, then said. "Ready buddy?"

"Are you?"

Calleigh chuckled with a nod. "More than ever, well you get Aunt Sara now?"

"OK."

He gets off the bed and runs to the bedroom door as she watched him with another smile.

After he leaves, she takes a breath, trying to calm her last-minute nerves, but she could also feel the excitement creeping up.

* * *

After the couple had said their emotional vows and had their first dance, they all sat down at the long table and ate their meals while some of their guests were saying some wonderful speeches, then when they were done some of them stood up and stretched their leg's while talking, and others were dancing.

Among the dancers were Sara and Grissom, and as he held her close he asked. "How are you doing?"

She smiled and replied. "I'm fine and yes I've been able to keep food down."

He nodded with a smile, then asked. "And when are you planning on telling Calleigh? I figured you would want to tell your best friend right away that you're pregnant."

Sara was almost 2 months pregnant and when they found out they were very excited about becoming parents, of course they were a little frightened since it will be a first for both of them, but they fell in love with idea of a baby the moment she found out.

"I really did, but I wanted to wait a big longer, plus today is her day and I'm not going to steal her thunder."

He kisses her forehead and said. "You are wonderful, you know that."

"Why thank you Mr. Grissom, you know I love you right?"

He pulls back to look into those beautiful brown eyes and replied. "I love you too, Mrs. Grissom."

Then they peck each other on the lips before they hug.

Over at the table Calleigh was watching the interaction with a smile.

Horatio, who had been talking to Alexx, looked over at her and saw her smile, so he looked at her line of sight and saw Sara and Grissom in an embrace.

Calleigh looks over at her husband, which she lit up thinking of Horatio as her husband, then said. "They look so happy."

"They do and I don't know if anything is wrong, but Sara didn't drink any champagne or wine with her meal."

Calleigh looked shocked. "Really?" Horatio nodded, then Calleigh smiled again. "Wonder why she didn't tell me she was pregnant?"

"I don't know sweetheart, maybe she wanted to wait."

"Maybe...Well than I'll wait till she tells me and I'll act surprised."

Horatio nodded with a smile, then he leaned toward her and kissed her on the cheek.

As he pulled back he was about to ask for another dance but C.J. walked up to them and asked. "Aunt Calleigh, can I have this dance?"

Calleigh smiled at the little boy and replied. "I would be honored to."

C.J. smiled as he looked Horatio, and Horatio nodded as he said. "Go ahead buddy, just make sure you bring her back before dark."

C.J. chuckled with a nod as Calleigh gets up from her seat, then she kissed Horatio's cheek and said. "Love you."

"Love you too."

She then turns from her husband, took C.J.'s hand and they started dancing, while Horatio watched with a smile.

His attention gets diverted when Alexx speaks. "You did it Horatio." He looked at Alexx just as she continued. "You found your eternal happiness."

"That I did Alexx, that I did."

Alexx smiled, very happy for the red-head.

* * *

When that dance ended and the guests did a few others, including anther one from the bride and groom, they declared it was time for them to leave for the honeymoon.

After saying goodbye to most of the guests, Sara, Grissom, and C.J. walked Horatio and Calleigh to the vehicle, and when they got their stuff in the trunk Calleigh and Horatio walked back up to them.

She hugs Grissom first with a smile as he said. "Congratulations Calleigh."

"Thank you."

She hugs Sara next, and while in the hug Sara congratulates her too.

When she pulled back she smiled a bit bigger than she did to Grissom and replied. "Thank you Sara." Sara was a little confused on why she got a bigger smile, but just nodded back.

After moving away from Sara, Calleigh kneeled down to C.J.'s level and speaks. "I'll see you in five days, so be good for Aunt Sara and Uncle Grissom."

Sara and Grissom had decided to take time off of work, which was something they don't normally do, and watch C.J. while Horatio and Calleigh were on their honeymoon in Hawaii.

C.J. nodded and replied. "I will, Promise."

"Alright, give me a hug and a kiss."

After he did they said their love's yous before she stands up and moves out the way so Horatio could say bye.

As she was watching the beautiful scene, she fell in love with them even more, they were very beautiful together and could watch them all day.

When Horatio stood back up, he looked at his wife and asked. "You ready, Sweetheart?"

"I am."

Once they said goodbye one more time, Horatio helped her into the passenger seat before walking to the driver's side. He waives bye as he gets in the vehicle, then after he shuts the door he starts it, puts it in gear and starts driving.

When they hit their first light, they look over at each other and he asked. "Did I say how beautiful you look today?"

She smiled that smile that he loved as she replied. "You have, but I don't mind hearing it again."

He leans over the middle console, pecks her on the lips and said. "Well you do, I love you and I am so happy."

She pecks him on the lips again and replied. "I love you too, and I am about the happiest woman in the world, so thank you."

"You're welcome." Right as the light turned green he asked again. "You ready for the rest of our lives, Mrs. Caine?"

"With you by my side all I have to say is bring it on, Mr. Caine."

He chuckles as he starts going, then said. "Yes Ma'am."

She chuckled back for a few seconds, then when she calmed down she looked out the window and smiled.

Her day couldn't have been more perfect, now she just wonders what happens next.

* * *

AN: Hope you enjoyed it. Sad to say next chapter is the last one. Please review.


	21. Dreams coming true

AN: Here is the last chapter. I know it's bittersweet, but enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 21: Dreams coming true

1 year later

It's been a year since Horatio, Calleigh, and C.J. became a family, and it was a wonderful, happy and loving year. Then just months after they celebrated their one year together, they welcomed a new addition to their family, a daughter.

Horatio was sitting in the chair next to the bed his wife was sitting up in and looking down at their beautiful newborn daughter. She may have spent the whole night trying to bring their little girl into this world, but she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Calleigh looks up from their daughter to look at her husband and he was smiling at her, she smiled back and asked. "What?"

"Nothing. I just don't think I've ever found you more beautiful than at this moment."

Calleigh tried hiding her blush as she looked back down at their daughter. "No I don't, I just gave birth."

Horatio gets up from his chair, takes the necessary steps to get to the head of the bed, sits down next to her, kisses her on the head and replied. "Well I find that you are."

She looked over at her husband and replied with emotion. "Thank you."

He shakes his head, cups her cheek and said. "No, thank you for this beautiful little girl." She smiled at him just as he gave her a peck on the lips.

When they pulled back, and as they were looking down at their little girl, his phone vibrates in his pocket.

He pulls out the phone, opens it and sees a text message from Sara, then he smiled and said. "Look sweetheart."

He moved the phone so she could read what Sara sent. 'Congrats on the new family member, hope to see you guys soon.'

Calleigh smiled, then replied. "Tell her thank you, and for sure about seeing each other soon."

Since Sara and Grissom didn't feel comfortable taking their 3 month old twins on the plane, they elected to wait till they were older. Or else Sara would probably have been there a few days before Calleigh went into labor so she could be there for her friend.

Horatio nodded while he typed what she said, then sent the message before putting the phone back in his pocket.

After a few minutes of just the three of them, there was a knock on the door.

Horatio looks at Calleigh to make sure she was ready for guests, she nodded and replied. "It's ok."

Horatio nodded back, looked at the door and said. "Come in."

The door opened a second later and their eyes light up again when C.J. walked into the room with Natalia behind him.

C.J. smiled at them as Calleigh said. "Come here buddy, some one wants to meet you."

C.J. runs up to them, then Horatio picks him up and sets him on his lap so he could get a better look at the little girl.

When he did he commented. "She's so tiny."

Calleigh nodded and replied. "Just like you were when you were born."

He looked at her and asked. "You saw me when I was born?"

Calleigh smiled. "I saw you the moment you were born, I was with your mom the whole time."

"Wow." They chuckled, then C.J. looked at the little girl again and asked. "What is her name?"

Calleigh and Horatio look at each other and he nodded with a smile, saying that the name they discussed before she went into labor was ok, then she looked at C.J. and replied. "Her name is Christy."

C.J. looked at Calleigh a little shocked. "Just like my mommy's name."

"Yes, is that alright?"

C.J. smiled and speaks as he looked at Christy. "My mommy would have loved it...and I like it too." Then he did something they weren't expecting, he moves off Horatio's lap, gets on his knees, leans forward and kisses Christy's forehead softly, then whispered. "Hi Christy."

As he pulled back the three grown-ups had tears in their eyes, then Calleigh speaks with emotion. "That was sweet of you C.J."

"Thank you. Is it alright if I hold her?"

"Can you wait a few minutes please, Natalia probably wants to meet our little angel."

"Ok." Then he gets back into Horatio's lap as they chuckled a little, then Calleigh handed Christy to Natalia when they calmed down.

As Natalia held the little girl in her arms, she looked down at her and said. "I can see so much of you two in her, better watch out for the guys."

Horatio and Calleigh laughed, then Horatio speaks. "Oh I will, you can count on that."

Natalia looked up from Christy, smiled at Horatio and said. "I have no doubt proud papa."

Horatio smirked with a smile, then after a few more minutes Natalia gave Christy back to Calleigh, then said she'll let them have their family time and informed them that the gang will be over at their place this weekend so they could meet the newest addition. Which they nodded with smiles before she walked out of the room.

Once she was gone, Horatio picks up C.J., places him in the spot he was just in and puts a pillow over his lap, then Calleigh instructed C.J. how to hold the baby once she was in his arms, which he nodded.

After they placed the baby in the boy's arms he made sure he did what Calleigh had told him to do, then he smiled as he watched her move while Horatio's and Calleigh's hearts soared watching the scene.

A few minutes later C.J. looked at Horatio and asked. "Do you want to hold Christy now?"

"I would love too, but only if you're done."

"Yeah, I'm done."

Horatio nodded before picking up his daughter and cradling her close to his chest.

When he looked down, his heart skipped a beat seeing the beautiful face that looked so much like her mother, and whispered. "You are so beautiful, just like your mother."

As he was kissing his daughter's forehead, C.J.'s voice could be heard. "Aunt Calleigh, Uncle Horatio...Can I..." He trails off as he looked down at his hands.

Calleigh puts her am around the boy, brings him closer to her and asked. "Whatever it is you can ask us."

Horatio noticed there was a little room on the bed, so he took that spot next to C.J. and continued what Calleigh said. "Yeah buddy, whatever it is."

C.J. took a breath, looked at Calleigh and said. "Well I was wondering since I already have Horatio's last name, can I start calling you and him, mommy and daddy now?"

A few months ago C.J. had officially taken Horatio's last name, which was hyphenated with his biological mother's name, so he would always have something to honor his mother. When they had told him that, they also said that he could still call them Aunt and Uncle if he felt more comfortable that way.

Calleigh and Horatio sat there a little shocked for a few more seconds, then she speaks before he got the wrong idea. "Are you sure honey? Because we just want you to be comfortable?"

C.J. nodded and replied. "I love my mommy, but I'll feel comfortable if I can call you mommy and daddy now." Plus he was tired of explaining it to his new friends whenever they were around when he kept calling Calleigh and Horatio, Aunt and Uncle, instead of Mom and Dad.

They both smiled, then Calleigh leans toward C.J., kissed his temple and said. "I would be honored if you call me mommy. But know that I'll never replace your other mommy."

He sniffled as he nodded. "I know." Calleigh nodded with a smile too, then they looked at Horatio.

Horatio smiled. "I would also be honored to call you my son."

C.J. smiled and said. "Thank you." They all smiled, then after Calleigh kissed C.J.'s temple again, C.J. asked something else. "So if that means you're my mom and dad, and you're Christy's mom and dad, wouldn't she be my sister now?"

Horatio nodded. "That would be correct buddy."

He smiled, but then frowned a second later and asked. "I don't know how to be an older brother."

Calleigh smiled a little. "You'll learn and I'm sure Horatio will teach you, he's an older brother to Raymond Jr's father."

C.J. nodded in understanding and replied. "Ok, I would like that. I want to be the best brother I can be."

They both smiled and Calleigh said. "I'm sure you'll be the best big brother ever."

C.J. smiled with a nod, then he turns to his new little sister and talks to her while Horatio looks over his head to see Calleigh looking at him.

They smiled at each other as he mouthed. 'I love you.'

She mouthed back. 'I love you too.'

Then he winks before looking down at his little girl, listening to C.J. talk about all the stuff he was going to teach her.

As Calleigh sat there with her family, her heart was soaring. It was like she gained a daughter and a son today. She knew C.J. will always be Christy's, but that doesn't mean she can't love him like a son and that's exactly what she's going to do. And hopefully Christy is looking down at them, smiling at this development.

Calleigh mentally smiled as she thought of her friend, then looked at her family again.

She thought she wouldn't be happier than she was on her wedding day, but today's events had proved her wrong. Now she was the happiest she's been in her whole life and her greatest dream had come true, she had a loving/caring husband and two beautiful children that she loved more than anything.

* * *

AN: So That's it. I hope you liked it.

I hear your hints about a sequel and I'll see what I can do. But I hope either way you'll keep a look out for other DuCaine stories I might come up with, because you never know when I'll pop up with another.

I want to thank everybody who read, followed, favorite. And a very special thanks to those who reviewed most, if not every chapter. It really meant a lot to me, it motivated me to give you a chapter every day, which I know how happy that made you guys, and most of all it made me feel welcomed.

So for one last time for this story, please review, and enjoy the rest of your week.


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